Two of Bosnia and Herzegovina's prominent players, Miralem Pjanic and Edin Dzeko, were unhappy with the national team's decision to play a friendly match against Russia in November.
The game is scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg on November 19, just one day before the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Qatar — both countries did not qualify for it.
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It is among Russia's first international football action since the country declared military operations against Ukraine in February earlier this year.
"The decision is not good. I am speechless," said Pjanic, who just joined UAE Pro League club Sharjah FC from Barcelona, according to the Bosnian media. "The national football association knows what I think."
Meanwhile, national captain Dzeko appeared to rule himself out of the game.
"I am against the match; I am always and only for peace," he was quoted saying by Bosnian news website Klix.
"Unfortunately, I am not the one who makes the decisions with whom Bosnia and Herzegovina will play, but I have my position which is clear and which does not include playing this match."
Besides facing Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia are also set to take on Kyrgyzstan on September 24 and Iran on November 15.
