It has long been clear that the Buducnost players will win the title, but after the 29th round of the Meridianbet 1st Montenegrin Football League, things are clearer both mathematically and calendar-wise...
The chosen ones Ivan Brnović, who are at the top of the table this season with a record 17 points over second-placed Petrovac, will theoretically be champions if they win their next two matches - Arsenal in Podgorica, then Bokelj in Kotor.
It is possible that Podgorica will "cut the ribbon" next Sunday, in the 30th round, which will happen if they beat Arsenal and Petrovac does not beat Sutjeska at home.
And another option, the "blues" will look forward to next Sunday if they win a point against Arsenal, and Petrovac loses to Sutjeska. In that case, with six rounds remaining, Buducnost would have 18 points more than their nearest rival, with a better head-to-head record.
Whatever, and whenever, it will most certainly be the "April title", as a good indicator of how much Buducnost dominates this season and how much of a difference it has made.
As evidenced by the third consecutive victory this season against their biggest rival Sutjeska, on Friday evening near Bistrica (1:3).
- I think we look too serious and outside of the Montenegrin framework, which - I hope - this team will show in the summer when we face European matches that represent the goal of all goals - said Buducnost coach Ivan Brnović.
The "Blues" have good European prospects, it is certain that they will start in the Champions League qualifiers, and it is very possible that they will be the seed in the draw in the first round.
A possible passage to the second round of the Champions League qualifiers would completely open the European doors for Buducnost and bring them closer to great things, because even in the event of elimination in the second round, the team from Podgorica would be seeded in the third round of the Conference League qualifiers - which is just one step to the play-off phase.
Buducnost would probably have the best chance of all Montenegrin clubs to finish in the group stage of the Conference League so far. Dečić, for example, had a somewhat more difficult path last summer, as they were eliminated in the first round of the Champions League qualifiers by a team from Wales, only to pull off a surprise in the Champions League qualifiers, eliminating Dinamo from Batumi, and coming close to a sensational win against Helsinki and the play-offs. Buducnost could have a much easier path, but that's a story for the summer...
The coefficient is important, the status of the privileged (or unprivileged), the draw is also important, but the most important thing is - how ready they will be to meet the European challenges in the summer in which they will celebrate their greatest jubilee - 100 years since their founding.
Domination in the Montenegrin league may or may not be a parameter...
On Friday, Brnović celebrated a year since he took over Buducnost near Bistrica, and the players gave him the best gift, after two consecutive draws.
- A good game, a real derby, and I think we were in control from the first to the last minute - said the coach of the "blues" after a smooth 1:3.
"I think we look too serious and outside of the Montenegrin framework, which - I hope - this team will show in the summer when we face European matches that represent our goal of all goals," said Buducnost coach Ivan Brnović.
Bonus video:
