At the end of last year, in an interview for "Vijesti", Andrija Vukčević said that by playing for Budućnost, he fulfilled one dream, while his second dream is the jersey of the national team of Montenegro. Half a year later, that dream will come true - coach Miodrag Radulović announced on Monday a list of 25 players from abroad he is counting on at the start of the League of Nations, and for the first time, Rijeka's left back is also on the list.
The invitation to the national team is the crown of a great season for the 25-year-old from Podgorica. Vukčević has been through all the younger national team selections, and in an interview with "Vijesti" he expresses his impressions after being called up to the A team.
"I am overjoyed. This is the best season of my career and the invitation to the national team came as a reward. I will try to fulfill the expectations, if I get a chance to play".
In June, the "Falcons" expect four matches in ten days - the cycle starts on June 4 with a match against Romania in Podgorica, continues three days later with a visit to Finland, then Bosnia and Herzegovina comes to Podgorica on June 10, and the "hell" series ends with a visit Romanians, June 14.
"The schedule is tight, I think that the national team is in this situation for the first time. Surely you should go into every game as much as you can. I saw that the list is long, that players from Montenegro will receive the invitation, so it will take a lot of footballers to present it in the right way. It is important to start well, with a win against Romania. They are quality opponents, but I think we can play with everyone", believes Vukčević.
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The former player of Budućnost, Sevilla, Spartak Subotica and Beveren watched the previous matches of the national team.
"I followed the games of the national team. Especially against the Netherlands and Greece in Podgorica, it looked very good. Now there is a new cycle in the League of Nations - we have to prepare as best we can. Let's take the next games as seriously as possible and try to win."
Behind Vukčević is a great season in the Rijeka jersey. He is a standard opponent, and in the previous round he scored a goal in a draw (2:2) against Belup.
"I went through all the preparations with the club. It started very well during the European matches. The team played well, I rose with the team, got in shape from the beginning and played almost 40 games this season. I'm really overjoyed - in the end, an invitation to the national team came as a reward, which made me even more happy."
Until the end of the season, Vukčević will play two more games in Rijeka's jersey. The match against Dragovoljec in the last round of the championship has no result, but it is a prelude to the game of the season - the final of the Cup with Hajduk on May 26 at "Poljud". Rijeka won the last trophy two years ago, when it was just celebrating in the Cup.
"We lost to them in the last match in Rujevica (0:3). On the other hand, I think that match in the Cup will be totally different. It will be full of 'Poljud', we are expecting a spectacle. It is an opportunity to win the first trophy in my career and I will do my best to make it so".
Vukčević's contract with the Croatian first league team expires at the end of the next season. It's too early for the overtime story...
"There were some announcements and talks with the club. But when something more specific comes, we will sit together and see what is best for me and for the club. Let us all be satisfied", said Vukčević for "Vijesti".
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