Bosnian football stars hit out at decision to play a friendly match with Russia

Bosnia and Herzegovina will play Russia in a friendly match in November, the country's Football Association announced on its official website on Friday, sparking harsh criticism from Bosnia's star players.

The game is scheduled to take place in St Petersburg on 19 November, one day before the World Cup in Qatar is to start.

Russia's national teams were barred from international competition over Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February.

Bosnia failed to qualify for the World Cup, participating in the final tournament for the first and last time in 2014. 

The decision to play the friendly with Russia was made by the Association's urgency committee in an emergency session on Friday, with five votes for and one against.

Team captain, Inter Milan's Edin Džeko, openly criticised the decision, lashing out at the idea of playing against Russia amidst its aggression in Ukraine.

"I am against playing this match. I am always and only for peace," Džeko told Bosnian outlet Klix. "Unfortunately, I am not the one deciding on who Bosnia will play against, but my position on this is clear and it doesn't involve playing this match while innocent people are being killed."

"I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in these difficult times for them," Džeko, who has won the Premier League twice and the Bundesliga once in his stellar career, concluded.

"The decision is not good. I am speechless,” midfielder Miralem Pjanić told the local media. "The national Football Association [officials] know what I think."

The 32-year-old former Juventus and Barcelona player has made 107 international appearances since his debut in 2008. He has recently signed for Sharjah FC in the United Arab Emirates.

Goalkeeper Asmir Begović -- the