Vanja Marinković defended by Partizan legend Novica Veličković amid fan criticism

Former Partizan captain Novica Veličković spoke on the "6,75" podcast about the club’s current basketball captain Vanja Marinković. Veličković said Marinković, who recently extended his contract, is "our child" and deserves special treatment as a product of the Partizan school. He lamented the harsh social‑media commentary aimed at the young captain, noting that domestic players are now a minority and that the atmosphere in the dressing room has changed.

Veličković recalled his own era, when teammates would gather after training for coffee and meals, contrasting it with today’s fragmented environment. He emphasized that criticism of Marinković should not question his love for the club, calling him a “stara škola” (old‑school) player and urging respect for his role as the youngest captain in the team’s history.