Petrovac is in Europe - if you count games, results and standings. Not yet - from a paperwork and administrative point of view.
The team that is the biggest revelation of the Meridianbet 1. CFL in the current season, which secured second place with four rounds remaining, behind the undisputed Buducnost, has not (yet) received a license to compete in UEFA competitions.
While the appeal process is pending, Zdravko Dragićević's men celebrated a fantastic success on Sunday after defeating Arsenal (2:0). After a decade and a half, Petrovac is back in Europe, or should be there.
- It is obvious that we have had a successful season, and everyone at the club is very happy with what we have achieved. When I got the chance to be the head coach, I sincerely believed and hoped for success, and I was familiar with the entire team. The guys have had continuity in their play and results throughout the season, which is clearly shown by the point difference between us and the rest of the league, not counting Buducnost.
Team spirit and togetherness are Petrovac's greatest strengths, says Dragićević, emphasizing the players as the ones most deserving of this success.
Although statistics show that the key individuals were striker Adnan Bašić, who scored nine goals, captain Dejan Boljević, who, although a defender, scored seven times, and Marko Šimun and Danilo Pešukić, who stood out with assists (Šimun also scored goals), Dragićević emphasizes the importance of teamwork.
- Everyone helped in their own way. There is no single individual who stands out, because often even the smallest details decide the outcome of the match and the creation of the bigger picture on the field. Danilo Bakić ran miles and miles, while some others may have had less minutes, but with their work in training and presence they contributed to the team's progress. As for tactics, I think I managed to upgrade some important details that the team needed. Also, we hit the mark with reinforcements," says Dragićević.
The players and coaching staff have done everything they can - now it's the club administration's turn.
- The players have fought on the field to play in Europe, and now it is up to the management to resolve the current problems. I know that the club has already taken all the necessary steps, submitted the documentation and we hope that everything will be fine. I also know that the problem is the court proceedings that have been going on for years and which, as I was told, are related to finances, but I know that the club has settled all obligations for taxes, contributions and other debts - explained Dragićević.
Ambitions are growing, playing in Europe would mean a lot to us
The Petrovac coach says that preparations and innovations for the next season are already underway.
- It would mean a lot to me to play in the European qualifiers again, which I experienced as a player and captain of this team. In 2009, we won the Montenegrin Cup and eliminated the Cypriot Anorthosis, who had just played in the group stage of the Champions League. I hope we can achieve similar success again, but we will see how things develop. The plans are already set, and I want progress. I have no intention of being satisfied with the current success - said Dragićević.
For him, this success also has a deep emotional meaning, because Petrovac is a club that has enabled him a lot in his playing and now coaching career.
- For me as a person, this achievement means a lot. Petrovac enabled me a lot at the beginning of my career, and now I want to repay the club as a coach. I am very glad that in my first season as a coach I managed to achieve this result. It is a great motivation to continue, work on myself and be even better - concluded Dragićević.
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