The journey to Sarajevo's Kosovo Stadium, where Hearts will face Zeljeznicar in the first round of the UEFA Cup, is one of the most poignant in European football. Alongside the road to the stadium is a cemetery tightly packed with obelisk gravestones, most dating from the three-year siege of Sarajevo between 1992 and 1995.
Bulend Biscevic, the Zeljeznicar midfielder, remembers the conflict well. He was arrested by Bosnian Serb forces when they overran the Grbavica district of the city, where Zeljeznicar are based.
Imprisoned for four months, Biscevic was finally exchanged for Serb prisoners and then badly injured by a hand grenade while rescuing a child in Sarajevo city centre. The 28-year-old, who has been with Zeljo since he was a teenager, still has the shrapnel in his knees.
Zeljeznicar, formed by railway workers in one of Sarajevo's rougher suburbs, are certainly not the most glamorous opponents the Edinburgh side could have faced in Europe but they are certainly one of the most passionate.
They will definitely be hard to beat as well, as Kilmarnock discovered five years ago when they squeaked through 2-1 on aggregate in the same competition.
The fact that Zeljo's Grbavica Stadion does not reach UEFA standards is also hardly a comfort to the visitors; the three-times Bosnian champions have lost there just twice in four years.
It's their home form that won them their 1998, 2001 and 2002 titles, and the club only missed out on a hat trick of league championships on the final day of last season when defeat at Siorki Brijeg allowed Leotar Trebinje to snatch the title.
The Sarajevo side has an impressive European pedigree for a club of its size. They reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 1972, beating St Johnstone on the way, and reached the semis in 1985, missing out on a final against Real Madrid by losing 4-3 on aggregate to Hungarian side Videoton.
The coach who took them on that thrilling run was Ivica Osim, who went on to manage both the Yugoslav and Bosnian national sides: the fact that Zeljo are now coached by Osim's son Amar gives the passionate home supporters, who style themselves 'The Maniacs', increased optimism for this season's European campaign.
Last season the club reached the final qualifying round of the Champions League, going out to Newcastle United, before being defeated by eventual quarter-finalists Malaga in the UEFA Cup first round, the only goal of the two-legged tie a disputed penalty.
In this year's qualifying round, Zeljeznicar followed up a 1-0 home win over Anorthosis Famagusta, and former Dundee player Temuri Ketsbaia, with a fine 3-1 win in Cyprus. Clearly the Bosnians will be no pushovers.
They've made a mixed start to the current league campaign with a win and two draws from their four matches, but this will count for nothing when the Hearts games come around.
Zeljeznicar, from the players and officials to the supporters, have a remarkable spirit, something fired further by a strong national pride. Look no further than the shrapnel scars on Bulend Biscevic's knees to see why.
Meet the opposition
NK Zeljeznicar
Founded 1921
Stadium Grbavica Stadion (22,000) One of the saddest stadiums in world football as it is surrounded by war graves, a legacy of the tragic Bosnian conflict
Honours Three Bosnian league titles, four Bosnian Cups
Coach Amar Osim. Disciplinarian who is now in his third year with the club. Osim wanted a bigger club than Hearts to take on in the first round to secure a money-spinning television deal which would help the club's bank balance
Biggest stars? Veteran midfielder Dzelaludin Muharemovic pulls the strings. Like Bulend Biscevic, the 33 year old is a survivor from the team that beat Kilmarnock in 1998.
How they qualified By finishing second in the Bosnian league last season. Fine 4-1 aggregate victory over Anorthosis Famagusta in the qualifying round.
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