The basketball players are preparing for the match decisions: We want to confirm our quality and qualify for the European Championship

Montenegrin basketball players gathered today in Podgorica before the last two matches in the qualifiers for the European Championship.

Montenegro will play against Austria on Thursday (18), while a match with Denmark is scheduled for Sunday (20). Both games are played in the "Bemax" arena, and one victory brings Montenegro its seventh consecutive place in the continental championship.

Milica Jovanović and Jovana Pašić, who are there to support their teammates, will miss the matches due to injury.

"The expectations are that we will qualify for the European Championship. It is known that we need one victory, but we are going for both triumphs, to confirm our quality and to deserve Eurobasket", said Dragana Živković.

Montenegro is the favorite in both matches, but caution is present.

"We want to repeat the previous games against them away from home. We want two more victories. The previous matches against them are a lesson for us, that we have to play 100 percent until the end and if we make a bigger difference, we must not let it go easily," Bojana Kovačević points out.

Basketball players also expect help from the stands.

"We are all professionals, some of us are there for a relatively short time, some of us are there for a relatively long time, and we know how to deal with expectations. A lot of us play abroad, we don't have the opportunity to play in front of our audience and we can't wait to get out on the floor. It's nice to be there , together, it won't be easy and we hope to qualify for the seventh consecutive Eurobasket," says Sofija Živaljević.

On the list for these matches are: Jelena Dubljević, Božica Mujović, Sofija Živaljević, Bojana Kovačević, Jelena Vučetić, Dragana Živković, Marija Leković, Zorana Radonjić, Ksenija Šćepanović, Milena Jakšić, Maja Bigović and Lana Vukčević.

Coaches Alberto Antunja, Vladan Radović and Miroslav Škara, doctor Snežana Ćorac, physiotherapist Petar Stojović and team manager Nikolina Popović help selector Jelena Škerović in her work.

Additional encouragement for our basketball players before the final window came from FIBA. According to the ranking of the basketball federation, Montenegro is the eighth favorite after the qualification process so far.