Tešanović: We only need to think about the first next match; Popadić: We can be satisfied with everything we have done

"There are five top teams in the group and Romania, which should not be underestimated and which can cause problems for everyone," says Tešanović.

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Photo: MTB-PHOTO
Photo: MTB-PHOTO
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Sunday, April 28 from 16.35:XNUMX p.m. - Montenegrin water polo players open the Olympic Games at that time.

The first rival of Vladimir Gojković's team is Croatia, the current world champion and European runner-up, but the group is such that whatever the epilogue of the opening derby is, it will neither make the road easier (in case of victory) nor make it more difficult in case of defeat.

Because, in addition to the "barracuda", the opponents in the group are Greece, Italy, the United States of America and Romania, and the four best teams go to the quarterfinals.

So, the road to the knockout stage is long...

"There are five top teams in the group and Romania, which should not be underestimated and which can cause problems for everyone," said the captain of our selection, goalkeeper Petar Tešanović.

Croatia is one of the favorites for the award.

"It will be very difficult at the opening, Croatia is stronger compared to previous competitions. But even after Croatia, more and more strong duels follow, only the last one with Romania. What is crucial? I think it's mental preparation, because one win or loss doesn't mean much. That mentality should be, that no matter what happens, we only look at the first game of the next game," Tešanović is clear.

Vlado Popadić claims that the "sharks" used the summer in the right way.

"We worked really well for two months, I hope the coach is satisfied and I think he has reason to be. Through the preparations, we grew as a team, raised the level of play and had an increasingly better atmosphere. The group is as it is, at the start is the rival Croatia, which we have won lately, but there is no need to promise anything, I guarantee that we will go strong from the first game," Popadić points out.

Montenegro has played for bronze three times at the Olympic Games, and this is the second Games in a row in which it does not enter as one of the favorites for the medal. In Tokyo three years ago, our selection was eighth.

"Certainly there is pressure and expectations, but all that is positive. We have energy, and we don't need to drag that pressure of winning a medal behind us because this is a new team", concluded Popadić.

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