Competitions, modes, team composition ESD-The future changes, but the ambitions do not. And this season in the EPC Balkan League 3v3 will bring new excitement to fans of virtual football and e-Football titles every Friday, and members of the Podgorica team are aiming for the highest honors. They hope that the trophy will arrive in Podgorica in the spring, and that it will adorn the showcases of FK Budućnost, from which they recently received support.
This year they have a big reinforcement, and the captain is ESD Budućnost Bojan Tatar reveals that this means that their ambitions have also increased compared to the previous season.
"Our ambitions are clear every year, and that is just the championship title. In the first season we finished third, in the second season our experimentation didn't pay off either. This season, we cautiously entered the preparation period and we hope for the best at the end", Tatar reveals his expectations for the new season.
The first game is behind them, but so is the first victory against PAOK, which brought them three points. However, not only Buducnost has been strengthened, but also the other teams competing in the EPC Balkan 3v3 League. However, the blue and white are ready for everything that awaits them in the coming months and there is no fear, only the ambition to give their best on the virtual field.
"It is very important that we opened the season in the right way and immediately scored three points against an extremely strong PAOK team. We don't fear anyone when it comes to opposing teams, we only look at our own backyard. Because if we are at the desired level, everyone should be afraid of us", says Tatar.
They are proud of the fact that they have strengthened their ranks, and now with the European champion in e-Football in 1v1 on one mode Marko Roksić Roks are storming the title. The experience that Roksa has will be useful to the other first team members of Budućnost, Tatar and Mandić, and they easily adapted each other's game.
"In addition to the fact that we are very good friends privately, Roksa is a great professional. Given that he played for the teams of Nantes, Roma, Barcelona, Arsenal, etc., he knows how to point out some finesse that we need, but certainly to act as a team. It was not a problem for him to adapt, we immediately agreed on everything and now we only have to improve some finesse", explains Tatar.
The captain of ESD Buducnost this season also received the support of Football Club Buducnost. With this, the team from Podgorica became the first organization in the region to receive the official support of the club from its city, and a successful connection was made between traditional sports and the gaming community.
"Since we started playing online competitions as the 'Budućnost' team, we have had the goal of one day representing our giant FC Budućnost. Given that the cooperation was achieved to meet the club's 100th anniversary, for us it represents great satisfaction and a motive to attack the trophy more and to bring it to Podgorica. We hope that over time we will grow even more and expand beyond the existing console and mobile game e-Football to NBA and FC24 over time," reveals Tatar's plans for the future.
But winning the title is not the only ambition of the captain. And their reinforcement, Marko Roksić, wants to make this season in the blue and white jersey a memorable one.
"The first year when I played in the 3v3 EPC Balkan league, my ambitions were to win the title with Partizan. Although everyone knows that I support Zvezda, that was my motivation and we succeeded in that. In the second year, we failed a little, but there was neither such a desire nor a motive to be first again. It's far from the fact that we didn't want to, but we already fulfilled that in the first year, so there was another one if we succeeded. This year the ambitions are really big. I want to win the title again with the Buducnosti team, especially for my friend Tatar, because I know how much he would love it and how much he is passionate about it all. The ambitions are great and the desire to bring the title to Podgorica", said at the start of Roks, who in 1v1 mode was one of the best players in the world. He explains about how he looks at 3v3, given that he does not manage the entire team but has two other teammates, and how difficult it is sometimes to rely on the other two teammates:
“If you had asked me this last year when I was a professional player in 1v1 mode, I would have said that I prefer that mode. Considering that pro e-sport is over for us, that scene is gone, I don't have as much desire to play that mode, it's not that anymore. There aren't even any strong tournaments anymore, the IESF canceled the 1v1 competition at the World Cup in Riyadh, and that killed all my will to play it. As for the 3v3 mode, I have the will and desire and that keeps me playing e-Football," Roksa admits and does not hide that the 3v3 mode is a bit more difficult to play.
“However, I have to admit that I like the 2v2 mode the most, but I also like this 3v3 one. He keeps me, like this Balkan league, to play e-Football", adds the European champion from 2021.
As a professional e-athlete, Roka had the opportunity to play for strong e-clubs that have the support of their parent clubs. The fact that FK Buducnost stands behind ESD Buducnost from this season is important not only for his teammates, but also for raising the level of the entire competition.
"This year Buducnost stood behind the Buducnost e-sports team. It's nice to have a back like that. I hope that as many football clubs as possible will recognize this and create their own e-clubs. In order for that pro-scene to succeed and for e-Football to experience some kind of expansion like FIFA, we need clubs that will support this story and that will understand that e-sport players can also contribute to maybe better promotion of the club and that they should they have their own professional teams. We now represent the Future and we cannot be without desire and motive. If we are the first, I believe that the management of Buducnosti will be able to recognize all the effort and effort and will reward us", Roksa is sure.
Another player from the first lineup is i Drago Mandic to whom defense remained the "main charge". Already in the first match against PAOK in this role, he showed dominance, and his team recorded its first victory.
"We can be satisfied because the PAOK team is not a naive team at all. In the next matches, both defense and attack should be even better, especially when it comes to some details that mean a lot", promises Mandić, who has been playing in the same team with Tatar for years. Although he only played one game with them, he claims that Roksa fit in very well.
"Someone with his knowledge and experience should have no problem fitting in. We started well and I hope that it will get better and better from match to match", expects Mandić.
So far in 11v11 and 3v3 modes Boris Bajović was on the first line of attack, but this season he will be the first reserve. However, there is no room for vanity, he says that it is much more important for him that Buducnost succeeds in its intention to win the title this year.
"This whole project that we made as ESD Budućnost has been for years for the three of us (Bojan Tatar, Marko Vuletić and my little one) of far greater importance than 'just' playing eFootball. It is primarily important that our team achieves a good result in all competitions and presents this entire project in the best possible way, and less important which of the three of us will play in those competitions and how much. Our plans go far beyond participating and playing in just one season of any competition, even if it is a well-organized league in 3v3 mode, which EPC really is. Of course, I can't wait to play and contribute on the virtual field, but it is more important for me to return FK Budućnost and our organization to the throne (as a result, in all other aspects we are far ahead of the competition), where we belong," says Bajović. and adds that his team gained by the arrival of Roksa considering that he is one of the best players in 1v1 mode in Europe.
"As far as Marko Roksić is concerned - his results in the last five, six years say enough about him. Everyone who even remotely follows the PES scene in the Balkans, and by God even beyond, knows what kind of player he is. In addition to his unreal playing qualities, I must also point out that he fit in fantastically with all the boys, which is of crucial importance for a good result. None of us have the impression that a new player has joined the team when it comes to the atmosphere, unlike last season when we had such a situation, but we have the impression that the team is definitely stronger since Marko brought more quality to the team. There are many top e-Football players in the world, but a good number of them do not do very well in this 3 on 3 mode, which is considered the most difficult. As for Roksić, he is equally good in all modes and it is a pleasure to play with him", Bajović points out.
Captain Bojan Tatar decides which three players play which game, and whenever he gets a chance, Bajović will take advantage of it.
"I must point out that during the preparatory period I was not able, due to family and business obligations, to devote myself adequately to the trainings that are necessary for the team to tackle the best 3 on 3 teams in Europe at the moment. In the meantime, Bojan, Marko and Gaga trained hard and already at the start showed that they can do a lot. I am aware of my qualities and many years of experience playing on the biggest stage of the Balkans, but I am also aware that the guys from my team are equally quality players and most importantly - very dedicated to the success of the entire team. And I perceive every success of Buducnosti as my personal success, regardless of whether I am a regular member of the first line-up or not. Certainly, I believe that I will get a chance in one of the next matches and that I will use it in the best possible way", says Bajović.
Another Buducnost player from the 11v11 mod period is Ivan Raznatović who is the second substitute this season. Unlike previous seasons when he played in another team in the future HFP League competition in 3 on 3 mode. There is no relaxation, he practices regularly.
"The season has started, the first round was done as expected, three points were scored away from home against an outstanding PAOK team, which is in the Top 3 Greek teams (in my opinion, the best) and now we are going step by step. The season is long, we have a standard team in our roster, this season we have been additionally strengthened by Roksa, who together with Tatar and Mandić form a standard trio for the game, and I and the others are waiting for a chance that, I hope, we will take full advantage of when it arises". says Ražnatović.
According to him, the story of e-Football is growing from season to season, and interest is growing.
"As you can see, the league has expanded by two participants and will be even more interesting, and the more good teams there are, the better the quality of the league. Considering that we have top-class players like Roksa and that he is the screw that has been missing all these years so that the trophy can finally be found in the showcases of FK Budućnosti", Ražnatović is sure.
Support this year as well and someone who completes duties outside the virtual field, but also reports from the matches of Buducnosti is also Marko Vuletic. He is extremely happy that they finally managed to secure the support of FK Budućnost.
"The support of FK Budućnost is of crucial importance for our team. The motive is now even greater, and the competition in which we are participating thus gains even more importance. I hope that we will become a professional league, considering that most of the competing clubs are getting more and more support from the organizations under whose name they perform", explains Vuletić, and reveals whether they have expectations from FK Budućnosti and how much their expectations and ambitions coincide with the members. virtual team:
"Of course they know about our goals, which are always the most ambitious, so we can't create additional pressure because we create enough of it ourselves. We want to bring the title in 2025 and thus celebrate together the centenary of the club and the trophy that we will bring to our city", concludes Vuletić.
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