The giant of the championship gloves and the story of the man who made Zvezda one step closer to the double crown

Gelor Kanga can become the team’s best player, Hwang can flourish and finally accumulate life and work in Serbia, it is probably expected that Katai is still a man of decisions, that Ivanić likes freedom in the game, but the only thing is certain – that he will Omri Glazer to have at least two big saves in every match. And that is what Zvezda’s victories are based on.

Zvezda qualified for the final of the Serbian Cup after a convincing game and victory over Partizan. In the championship, ten points escape the black and whites, who have an (impossible) mission to catch up with them in the six rounds of the playoffs and make an epic turnaround. However, although the red and whites have won the last two derbies, one in the league and the other in the cup, one man has proven once again that you can’t do without him.

And in this derby, Omri Glazer was the man of the decision. It is easy to give laurels to Olayinka, Hwang or any other architect of this triumph, but the Red Star goalkeeper proved that he once again has a direct role in the unfolding of the 90-minute football film.

If Goh had taken advantage of Samed Bazdar’s great ball and checked Glazer, perhaps nothing would have come of Zvezda’s celebration at the end of the second semi-final of the Serbian Cup. Once again, the goalkeeper was the one who made the difference, he stayed to defend the near corner and not the far corner, thus enabling his team to recover from a weak introduction to the match.

Something similar was done by Milan Borjan against Partizan when he pulled off a similar shirt in 2022. The crucial moment of that derby was Quincy Mennig’s chance in the first half before Zvezda’s goals, when he reacted badly in a one-on-one situation with Borjan, and the captain of the then Serbian champion emerged as the winner. If it had been a goal, the Marakana might not have “swallowed” Partizan and won.

Now Glazer did something similar and that right before both goals of Red Star. The continuation is known… they went to the finals and fight for the title in Loznica on May 23.

However, how crucial the Israeli is for the team and its results is shown throughout this spring when Zvezda returned to the throne of the Super League.

We should not forget that, in the second half when he had less to do than in the first, he did not fall asleep and did not allow Nemanja Nikolic to checkmate him from a distance and thus bring uncertainty to this derby. Even then, he was up to the task, on time, which is required of him, but also expected.

What Glazer represents for Vladan Milojević’s team, if we had to use only one word, it would be – security. That they don’t have to worry defensively when the whole defense drops out and someone is face to face with the goalkeeper.

He’s been taking off his t-shirts all spring. From Surdulica and Niš, when in crucial and important moments he actually came out as the winner, sometimes even with unreal decisions to throw himself on the opposite side, to the derby when he took off everything that was actually possible many times.

As for him – he will defend. Maybe it’s a little in the shadow of all these derbies because Aleksandar Jovanović still showed that he can be a representative goalkeeper because he is the best link of Partizan. However, what he did in the autumn of the Champions League, in the sea of ​​zithers that City, Leipzig and Young Boys had, Glazer continued on the same path and became a giant of the championship gloves.

One of the best in the semi-final derby of the Serbian Cup, Glazer as such must continue on the same path. He also said in an interview for Sportal that he wants a double crown, and he is to blame for the fact that Zvezda is in a position to flaunt towards the end of April from first place and the position of favorite in the final of the Serbian Cup.

I had a good half-season, I expect to keep getting better and I’m working on it every day. I want to show my quality. However, if I defend well and we lose, it means nothing to me. The goalkeeper is a team player, I want to win. We have to show how strong we are and bring back the old glory.

Everyone in the club tries to help us with everything. I am happy here and I hope to win the double crown.

Omri Glazer

He showed that a goalkeeper is not just a net keeper or just a name on paper. It’s great when Katai, Sherif, Bukari and Olayinka shake the nets, but it’s even more difficult to have a man on the other side who can excel at the right moment. Milan Borjan used to do it, which is probably why he became an icon of the club, perhaps better said a symbol of a time of complete dominance.

Glazer has now followed suit, and his stay should be insisted on. Especially since he was the team’s best screw in the Champions League, this spring he seems to like the fact that he doesn’t speak the same language with the goalkeeper coach, he doesn’t have that level of comfort, so he has to work even harder, which was actually reflected on the field. Glazer is currently the number one goal scorer for the red and whites and someone who is ready for the Champions League.

Glazer on the scanner of Sportal in the semi-finals of the cup

In a very important part of the first half, he managed to come out of a one-on-one situation with Goh as a winner. After a few corners he was timely, confident on the ball, without much experimentation to box with one hand. He took down the zizer Bazdar, but even though he was offside, the goalkeeper of Zvezda is the constant that brings the title.

Glazer showed that he is alert and that no one can catch him on the wrong foot in the second half when he reacted excellently after Nikolić’s shot from distance. The game was played without mistakes and we can declare him at least the second best in the game.

VIDEO Olajinka knocked out by Partizan

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