Before the national team of Montenegro is 180 minutes of truth. Who knows when our selection will again be in a situation where it will face the last two games in the group with a chance to qualify for the final tournament of the big competition.
The goal, however, is both so close and so far. There are still games with the two strongest selections in the group, but also the dilemma which is more important than them - England is the biggest football challenge.
The "problem" is that even a victory over one of the world's most powerful teams may not be enough for second place.
Playing two games in five days, and on a see-saw between first and third place, could be a burden for the selection for which this is only the second qualifying cycle.
"It is very difficult to play two matches, against such strong opponents, in such a short period of time. Football philosophy, however, is such that the first match is the most important. Therefore, we have to concentrate on England, but we are also forced to think about Switzerland. We'll see what happens on Friday, and as for the second match, I think the longer bench will decide. The Swiss also play on Friday, so the team that distributes its forces and players better will have a better chance in Basel," says Miodrag Džudović. .
The reality is, therefore, that the duel in Basel, on October 11, will most likely be an all-or-nothing duel.
"I don't believe that the Welsh can surprise Switzerland. I'm not counting on it," says Džudović.
However, this does not mean that the match with England is only an introduction to the deciding match and a spectacle for the audience.
"It is clear to us that the match with Switzerland is more important, because the Swiss against Wales have to do the same as we did against England, in order to get into a situation where they decide in Basel, in front of their audience. However, we will not just magnify the spectacle under Gorica on Friday, we will do everything to make a surprise. Why not try, we still have a chance for first place in the group," says Stefan Savić, Manchester City's first team player.
The new selector Branko Brnović and his colleagues, before the gathering of the national team, emphasized that matches of this importance are won with the head, just as much as with the feet.
"The atmosphere in the team is very important. If there is no chemistry, if there is no real relationship between the players, then the quality does not come to the fore. We have that, we will have the fans, and we also have the desire to make a surprise," points out Džudović.
Last October, Montenegro shocked the world football public by winning a point at Wembley. It is illusory to expect that our selection under Gorica will be a team that will dictate the tempo, attack, force the rival into their own half. Maybe, in fact, the English would like such a situation, because they are hellishly dangerous on the counter - Rooney, Walcott and Young can't wait to get some space and score. How to find a solution?
"With a good and organized defense, just like at Wembley. With an aggressive attack, pressing the defense. We have three days to prepare, I hope we will find a solution," says Džudović.
The Montenegrin national team will train tomorrow from 19:XNUMX in the camp at the Old Airport. The team will then be complete, the arrival of Sava Pavićević, who played the Israeli derby against Hapoel tonight with Maccabi, and Dejan Damjanović from distant Seoul is expected.
The practice of the team, which will face England on Friday, should start tomorrow.
Brnović announced that he will rest at least three of the eight players with one card against England - Vučinić, Baša, Vukčević, Savić, Peković, Drinčić, Vlado Božović and Kašćelan have been cautioned.
The atmosphere is not disturbed
The change of coach did not change the atmosphere in the national team. Kranjcar was replaced by Brnović, who has been part of the coaching staff for five years, and former experienced internationals Savo Milošević and Anto Drobnjak are now on the field with the players.
"The new selector is a man whom we know well and who knows us. He is one of the people who participated in the creation of this national team, he has been there since the beginning. Now his colleagues are with us, former experienced footballers, great players, who can give a lot of advice to help us, to psychologically prepare us for the decisive matches," says Džudović.
Savić: The English respect us
Behind Stefan Savić is a weekend that he will remember for the rest of his life. In the match with Blackburn, he scored his first goal in the Premier League. His teammates in Manchester City - national team members Joe Hart, Micah Richards, James Milner, Adam Johnson and Gareth Barry wished him not to do it again on Friday.
"We greeted each other, scheduled a match on Friday. I wished them to lose, and then in City to continue winning - says Savić. Savić points out that the English respect Montenegro... - After we took a point from them at Wembley, they are aware that they have a tough job ahead of them. A point is enough for them, but they know it won't be easy," Savić points out.
Rooney has recovered, but it is not only Manchester United's ace who is dangerous.
"Uh, I don't know who is not dangerous. The defenders are also dangerous. They are a great team, they are all top footballers, but we have to believe in ourselves. And we know how to play football, if the English value us, that means we can surprise ", points out Savić.
One thousand tickets on sale from Wednesday
A thousand tickets will be released for free sale, which will be sold at the counters of the "Morača" Sports Center in Podgorica from Wednesday at 8 am.
Depending on the sector, the matches for the western stand will be sold at a price of 20, 25 and 30 euros, while a place in the North and South "costs" 10 euros.
One person can buy a maximum of two tickets.
Stark judges under Gorica
The match between Montenegro and England will be refereed by 41-year-old German Wolfgang Stark, the Refereeing Committee of the European Football Association (UEFA) decided.
The assistants are Jan Hendrik Salve and Mike Pikel, while the fourth referee is Peter Sipel. It is interesting that even in the first match, which was played in October last year at "Wembley", the German referee administered justice - then Manuel Graf was the referee.
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