One victory - a thousand positive things.
That's how the head coach of the Montenegrin national football team, Faruk Hadžibegić, announced tonight's duel with Kazakhstan near Gorica (18 p.m.), apostrophizing its importance, despite its friendly nature.
Ahead of the two final and decisive matches in the League of Nations, against Azerbaijan in Zagreb on November 14 and Cyprus in Podgorica three days later, the Falcons will play a test against the former Soviet republic in a lineup that will most likely be a combination of players from the domestic league and footballers from from abroad who have had less minutes so far.
- It is important for us to win, continue the series and maintain the cult of the national team. One victory can bring a 'thousand' of positive things, at the end of the day maybe that game will open our eyes if we notice the shortcomings and help us for what awaits us against Azerbaijan and Cyprus. That's why I want a serious approach from the football players, I also count on the motivation of the local players and those who have played less minutes until now, and today they will get a chance. At the end of the day, I hope to justify the trust and invitation to the national team - said Hadžibegić.
The match with Kazakhstan, and the matches of the League of Nations in his mind - the Montenegrin coach admitted this, before the duels unfolding in the youngest Uefa representative competition.
Montenegro must beat Azerbaijan at the Inter Zaprešić stadium and Cyprus under Gorica, and hope for at least one setback against Luxembourg in a duel with the same selections in order to win the first place in the group and move to the B League of Nations.
- Thoughts are focused on the League of Nations, but if the game with Kazakhstan ends well, it will give us extra energy and morale for the two decisive games that await us.
There are also Adam Marušić and Stefan Mugoša, two big "reinforcements", players who missed the October, Mugoša and September matches.
Kazakhstan, however, is an opportunity for some other players...
- Mugoša is our standard player, it means a lot to us that he is with us again, he finished the championship seven days ago, but I still don't know whether to give him minutes in a friendly match, or to save him completely for the Nations League matches - he added Hadžibegić.
The goals of the classic nine - Mugoša, Bećiraj, Islamović - that's what the Montenegrin team has been missing lately.
Hadžibegić hopes that one of them will "relieve" Stevan Jovetić, the scorer of three of Montenegro's six goals in the previous four Nations League matches.
- I'm glad that we finally have a larger selection of footballers in that position - in the last qualifiers we rotated Mugoša and Bećiraj, and now we also have Islamović, Jovetić is back after a long absence due to injury. Do I expect goals from them? First of all, I expect the team to win, that's the most important thing, and classic nines are in charge of goals and that's capital for them, that's how they build self-confidence.
At the end, Hadžibegić emphasized that he stands by his statement, made after the defeat against Luxembourg last month, that he "does not know whether moving to League B would be good for Montenegro", but he still reiterated that he hopes that the national team will qualify for the higher rank.
- I stated that absolutely consciously and I stand behind that statement. But when you play, you always hope to win, after all that's sports. Therefore, we want to try to be the first, and we will believe in it as long as we have the chance.
However, not everything depends on Montenegro.
- We believe that Luxembourg will falter, but we need to win our games. And it won't be easy at all. When the League of Nations started, I said that only six wins would guarantee us a place further on, and that turned out to be true, because theoretically maybe even five wins wouldn't be enough for us. But we have to believe until the end - concluded Hadžibegić. However, before the outcome in the League of Nations, "warming up" against Kazakhstan. The match under Gorica will be played at 18:XNUMX, without the presence of the audience, and the referee from North Macedonia, Dimitar Mečkarovski, will be the referee.
Petković: Friendly or competitive - we don't make a difference
Anže goalkeeper Danijel Petković does not play a lot of minutes in his club this season, as he replaces them in the national team jersey. He should be in goal tonight, as he was last month in the friendly against Latvia.
- We start this November cycle, as well as the October cycle, with a friendly match. We do not differentiate between friendly and competitive matches, it is important for every representative to win. I hope that we will achieve a positive result against Kazakhstan. I think that it will be a mitigating circumstance that we from abroad will play with less minutes and players from the Montenegrin league. The team that needs to play two League of Nations games will refresh and prepare a little better - said the goalkeeper of the "brave Falcons".
Petkovic is familiar with Kazakhstan's qualities.
- We played with Kazakhstan a few years ago. We watched the footage of their matches and it can be seen that they are a team that is progressing, a tough team that plays on the counter. I expect a similar match as was the friendly with Latvia last month - explained Petković.
Why is there no Draško Božović? Hadžibegić tried to explain
The chance against Kazakhstan will be given to players from abroad who do not have significant playing time in the clubs, and players from the domestic league - nine of them.
Among them, there is no Draško Božović, the best CFL player as chosen by his colleagues.
When asked why he did not invite Božović among the players from the domestic league, among whom some who are over 30 years old were invited, the selector Faruk Hadžibegić answered:
- Drasko is not the only one I think about and pay attention to. First, there is no time to gather everyone from the domestic league. On the other hand, there were doubts for players from abroad regarding injuries and the coronavirus. Let's make a list, we don't know what will happen and sometimes we can't manage to pay attention to all the players. I would like to continue the policy of giving opportunities to local players who deserve it, such as Draško and others, every time a chance arises, but it also takes time. There is only one friendly match so that everything can be tested and at the same time everyone can be given a chance. Players from abroad also need playing time, so I try to make the most balanced mix that could satisfy both of them. But I agree that there is room for more players and I take care of them - Hadžbegić tried to explain.
One player each from the senior and youth selection tested positive for covid-19
The FSCG announced that the players of the A and U21 national teams have been tested for the new coronavirus.
As it was announced, two players who are in the preparations of the senior and youth national teams - one each from both teams - have tested positive for covid-19.
"Both football players are placed in mandatory self-isolation and will adhere to all medical protocols prescribed by the Institute for Public Health during the time provided for their stay in self-isolation," the FSCG said. The senior national team of Montenegro will play a friendly match with Kazakhstan tonight, while on November 14 and 17 the final matches in the League of Nations await against Azerbaijan in Zaprešić and Cyprus in Podgorica.
The young selection, on the other hand, will play the last match in the European qualifiers against North Macedonia on November 17 in Skopje.
Bonus video:
