One spotlight had been burning for the past two nights at the stadium near Bistrica, symbolically illuminating the field where the Andrija Delibasic took his first football steps.
All four floodlights will be turned on tonight, to illuminate the Montenegrin national team's first victory in World Cup qualifiers in honor of the young man who was buried yesterday not far from the stadium, in his hometown of Nikšić.
In an atmosphere of sadness and memories, but also pride in the footballer who scored some of the most important goals in the history of our national team, the team Robert Prosinecki will take to the field to beat Gibraltar (18 p.m.) and dedicate Deli's first triumph in qualifying.
It's not easy to concentrate on football these days, and it won't be easy to achieve the "taken for granted" victory, even though the rival is from the lowest house of European football.
Prosinecki and the captain admitted it. Stevan jovetić, who had a difficult and sad day yesterday, together with other teammates attended the commemoration and funeral of the former member of the "brave falcons".
- We are emotionally drained, especially the players who played with Andrija and know him as a great player and man. We still have to somehow focus on the match that looks easy on paper, but it won't be like that. We all have to be 100 percent ready and if we go in seriously, only Montenegro will be questioned. We will also play for Andrija, that is our impulse to win the match, which we all expect and want - said Prosinecki at a press conference.
Captain Jovetić played with Delibasic on the national team from 2009 to 2013.
- It's a sad atmosphere, he left us last year Matija Sarkić, now Deli... It's hard to focus on football, we're all sad, Andrija was a great man, teammate, friend, brother... I still can't accept what happened - said Jovetić, who said that there would be no relaxation against Gibraltar.
- We will also play for our Deli. We are preparing for this match, and it should always be like that, as if we are playing against one of the biggest national teams. We need to set a standard and always be at that level. It will not be easy, the first games are always the hardest, everyone expects us to win. Football changes quickly, 'small' teams have progressed and the differences are getting smaller. I don't think it will be easy, but of course it depends on us. We have to be right and I believe we will win - said Jovetić.
Montenegro played Gibraltar twice in the qualifiers for the last World Cup, winning 4:1 in Podgorica and 3:0 away.
- Everyone is playing and improving. They used to be completely amateurish and lost by a large margin, but we watched some matches, for example against Moldova where they played very well (1:1), it is clear that they have improved. It will, of course, be crucial how we enter the match, there is no doubt that we are much better, but we have to have the right approach from the start. The boys are aware of that, when it was like that we played some very good matches. I believe that it will be the same tomorrow - added Prosinecki.
Already on Tuesday, also at the stadium near Bistrica, Montenegro plays against the Faroe Islands.
- Both in terms of results and everything else, especially when they play at home where they have been able to surprise many times, the Faroes are better than Gibraltar. But we have to win Gibraltar first, only then will we talk about the Faroe Islands - Prosinecki pointed out.
The match near Bistrica starts at 18 p.m., and the referee Antonio Nobre from Portugal. There is one more match to be played in Group L, the Czech Republic welcomes the Faroe Islands at 20.45:XNUMX p.m.
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