Bosnia Coach Accuses Steve Cooper of Benching Star for Wales Playoff

Sergej Barbarez, the Bosnia-Herzegovina head coach, has publicly accused Brøndby manager Steve Cooper of sidelining Bosnia midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic. The claim links Tahirovic’s omission to Cooper’s roots, a charge Cooper has denied.

Allegations from the Bosnia coach

Barbarez said Tahirovic told him about the situation. He described the details as hard to believe.

Barbarez suggested the issue related to the coach’s origins. He said Cooper told the player things would return to normal after national team duty.

Club response

Brøndby’s communications director called the accusation far-reaching. He told TV 2 Sport the decision had no link to any national team.

The club said the choice was collective. The sporting management and coaching staff made the call together.

Player availability and form

Tahirovic has not started Brøndby’s last four matches. He missed the matchday squad in the two most recent games before the international break.

He last appeared as a 77th-minute substitute in a 0-0 draw with Midtjylland on March 1. Tahirovic has scored twice in 24 appearances for Bosnia.

He has played 44 games for Brøndby since his 2024 transfer from Ajax. Sean Klaiber was also dropped from the team.

Playoff context and manager background

Wales travel to Cardiff to face Bosnia in the playoff semi-final on Thursday. The winners host the victor of Italy versus Northern Ireland for a World Cup spot.

Fans and pundits have framed the controversy around Bosnia coach comments and Steve Cooper’s decisions. Some describe it as benching a star ahead of the Wales playoff.

Cooper is Welsh and a former manager at Nottingham Forest, Leicester and Swansea. He has led Brøndby since September, and the club sit sixth in the Danish top flight.