In the last two games in the League of Nations, Montenegrin footballers are waiting without points, with only one goal scored, but also with the impression that everything could have been different if there were no injuries.
In none of the previous four matches, coach Robert Prosinečki could count on important trumps, and the cycle in the youngest Uefa competition "falcons" will end without minutes on the field of Stefan Savić and Marko Vešović.
- I'm not looking for an alibi, but we've had problems with injuries since the first meeting. Every player is important to us, and we are missing four or five who have been the bearers of the national team's game for many years. Surely everything would have been different if they had been there from the beginning - said midfielder Edvin Kuč before today's training.
Montenegro will play the remaining two matches in Nikšić - on Saturday against Iceland and three days later against Turkey.
- We will try to improve the impression, we welcome Iceland and that is the most important game for us now. We cannot think about Turkey until we beat Iceland - Kuč is clear.
Although it is in a difficult situation, Montenegro still has a chance to avoid relegation to League C.
- The calculation is clear: if we want to stay in the B division, we have to beat Iceland. All focus is on that match. The Icelanders have four points, with a win we would approach them to minus one, and they will visit Wales in the last round, and we could hope to overtake them with a possible triumph over Turkey - explained football player Nefčija.
The selector is looking for victory in every match
Defeats have not changed the way the Falcons want to enter every match.
- We go for victory in every game, the coach prepares us that way, but the only time we were all together was the first gathering at Prosinecki, in March in Antalya - says Kuč.
He recalled the preparations and matches (two victories) on the Turkish Riviera.
- Then everything looked much better, the atmosphere is different when we are all complete. Confidence is greater when the main players are there, but we don't have time to regret, we have to fix the impression as we know how - Kuč is clear.
A year since debut
A little over a year ago, Edvin Kuč put on his favorite jersey for the first time and hit the net twice on his debut against Lebanon.
- A year has passed quickly since my debut. At this time last year, we were fighting for the European Championship and we lacked luck. Even then we were followed by problems with injuries, that's the only reason why we haven't made a bigger result so far - says our midfielder.
He also says that every player in the national team and with whom he played in midfield has quality.
- I am very glad to be with these guys again, I always get energized when I come to the national team because there is a great atmosphere. I hope that in the future we will have better luck with injuries and take Montenegro to a big competition - Kuč is optimistic.
He once again turned to last year's Euro 2024 qualifiers.
- Maybe the public doesn't know, but some players played against Serbia in Belgrade despite injuries, and if we were all healthy and played complete in that game, which was the most important, we would certainly have a better chance of qualifying for the European Championship. Against Hungary in Budapest, we were leading, at one point we were provisionally in the European Championship, but it is certainly a fact that we have to beat a favorite if we want to go to the big competition.
Nefchi? Everything is much better after the injuries
Kuch has been playing in Azerbaijan since this summer, where he wears the jersey of one of the greats - Nefchi from Baku.
- I went through a period of adaptation in Nefči, at the beginning I was unlucky to injure my hand. I had an operation, struggled with an injury in recent months, but now everything is much better - concluded Kuč.
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