The youth of the Budućnost Football Club achieved great success at a strong international tournament in Foča, winning first place in a competition that included renowned teams such as Red Star Belgrade, Vojvodina, Ludogorets, Željezničar and Vardar.
The tournament was played two days ago in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the team led by Marko Janjević left a strong impression, once again showing that they are perhaps the only bright spot of the club that is celebrating its centenary this year.
"If we take into account the names of the participants, we can say that this was a serious test for us, an excellent overture for the start of the domestic championship, but also for the upcoming qualifications for the Champions League," said Janjević, reflecting on the importance of the tournament.
The road to the title was not easy. In the semifinals, Buducnost defeated Ludogorec 3:1 in a match that, according to Janjević, was the best performance of the "blue and whites" in the tournament. In the final, the team from Podgorica beat Sarajevo's Željezničar 2:1.
"I would single out Ludogorets as the toughest opponent. That was perhaps our best performance, both tactically and physically. The final against Željezničar was more mentally demanding due to fatigue, considering that we played every three days," added Janjević.
The Budućnost team showed a high level of discipline and team cohesion, but several individuals also stood out. Petar Jašović was the tournament's top scorer, and the younger members of the team - Lazar Popović, Matija Rakčević, Petar Vujović, as well as goalkeeper Simon Sošić - particularly stood out, who, despite the age difference, showed exceptional maturity and responsibility.
"Everyone contributed, but the guys who are two years younger than the rest of the team deserve extra praise. It shows the breadth of the squad we have and gives us faith in the future," said the Buducnost coach.
The team now has a busy schedule ahead of them. The domestic championship starts on August 16th, while the draw for the Champions League qualifiers awaits them on September 3rd. The first European matches will follow in October and November.
"We are defending the championship title and the Montenegrin Cup. The start of the season will be tough because we are playing on three fronts. We have the role of slight favorites, but we do not underestimate anyone. The focus is still on giving young players a chance."
For coach Janjević, who at 35 is just breaking onto the coaching scene himself, the tournament in Foča also had personal significance. He sees it as confirmation of the right work and the direction he is leading this generation of the Future.
"I'm proud of the results, but also of the fact that the team is constantly improving. Last year we were unlucky in the draw - we played against Trabzonspor, who eventually reached the Champions League final. However, we showed then that we can handle big opponents," Janjević recalled.
This season he hopes to make an even bigger breakthrough on the European stage.
"We have several players who already have Champions League experience and that means a lot to us. If we have a little more sporting luck, I believe we can reach the main round of the competition," says Janjević, highlighting a key segment of success:
"The team's physical fitness is almost at the level of European standards, which is perhaps the most important segment in today's football. I would like to thank fitness coach Ivan Božović the most for this, who does an outstanding job."
Janjević also listed the entire coaching staff - all the links to success:
"There are my assistants Goran Burzanović and Ivan Mijušković, goalkeeping coach Ljubomir Belojević, analyst Nikola Ivanović and team manager Anđeo Drobnjak. Of course, Srđan Radonjić, as the director of the youth school, is our main support in everything."
The youth of Buducnost return from Foča with the cup, but also with additional confidence for the challenges that await them. Judging by what has been shown, Buducnost not only has the quality, but also the continuity, ideas and depth to make even greater strides, both on the domestic and European scene.
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