Greifswald. Aleksandar Bilbija is one of the perennial favorites at Greifswalder FC, a team promoted to the regional league. The right-back had switched from league rivals Tennis Borussia Berlin to the Vorpommern at the start of the – Season and has played all four games over 90 minutes so far. The Bilbijas’ footballing talent runs in the family: Aleksandar’s brother Filip, who is two years younger than him, started scoring goals for Hamburger SV this summer. Last – Season , he scored seven goals in 28 games for FC Ingolstadt.

Pair of brothers constantly in contact

However, the two Bilbija brothers are not in competition. “I’m really happy for Filip that he’s now playing for HSV in the 2nd Bundesliga. In soccer, we indulge each other in everything, we motivate each other. Only in Uno or chess are we rivals,” emphasizes the Berlin native. The brotherly relationship couldn’t be better at the moment. “We talk on the phone every day. Filip also follows my games with Greifswald FC. Against Berliner AK, he was even on site in the stadium. Of course, I’ve also seen all his games with HSV.”

Bilbija: “We Are BVB Fans”

The two brothers also share a love for a traditional club. “My brother and I have been fans of Borussia Dortmund since the Klopp era. Of course, it always breaks my heart when Bayern Munich becomes champions every year and BVB gets in its own way. My biggest dream would be to be able to play a game in the Westfalenstadion in front of this outstanding backdrop one day,” explained the 24-year-old. Despite the distance between Greifswald and Hamburg, the brothers spend time together on a day-to-day basis via the Internet. “Filip, my friends and I like to play Fifa online on the Playstation,” he reveals.

He likes his new place of residence, Greifswald, despite the difference in size from his hometown of Berlin. “I’m not the type to travel a lot anyway. The city suits me. Here I can fully concentrate on soccer,” he affirmed. Bilbija also knows how to make the most of his time away from the sport. “I read a lot about mentality and like to go for walks. It’s important to be able to switch off and not always think about soccer. I’m not one to drink a lot of alcohol, but occasionally I go to a bar,” reveals the GFC defensive man.

Bilbija wants to play in the 3rd league

Bilbija now wants to make it in the regional league with Greifswalder FC. He himself already brings the experience of 88 fourth division appearances (for Tennis Borussia Berlin and Optik Rathenow) and knows what matters in this division. “To make it to the regional league, a player needs a mix of hard work and talent. Perseverance is the key, especially in difficult phases,” he says. However, the right-footer has the personal confidence to do even more in the future. “It would be great to play in the third division one day. For every young soccer player, that should be the goal, if he’s not studying or training on the side.”

Sleepless nights after defeats

Bilbija believes GFC is well equipped for the fourth division. “We still need to grow together more as a team, but we have the potential for tenth place in the table,” says the newcomer, assessing the current GFC squad. He also deals with the constant pressure of the soccer business. While he is excited before matches, he is able to block out everything around him during the game. Whistles from the stands spurred him on even more as a player to give his all on the pitch. “You just can’t think too much during the game, otherwise you get tense. Off the pitch, I get brooding more often. After defeats, I still feel the adrenaline at night, so it’s hard to fall asleep,” he admits.

Aleksandar Bilbija hardly had a sleepless night after Greifswald’s 3-1 win over Lok Leipzig last Sunday. His brother Filip also celebrated a victory with HSV at the weekend (2-0 at 1. FC Nürnberg). The two have not yet played in a team in their careers. But the older brother dares to dream: “My heart swells at the thought of being able to stand next to Filip on the pitch one day.”