Montenegrin football players used to be heroes of the Champions League final. About ten years ago, Stefan Savić, Mirko Vučinić and Stevan Jovetić had notable performances, and this season, after a long time, our country could have three players in the elite.
Something that hasn't happened often in recent years is now a reality, as Nikola Krstović is a sure participant in UEFA's elite with his move to Atalanta, Marko Janković is one step away from qualifying, and Vasilije Adžić will be looking for an opportunity at Juventus.
Of the three, only the youngest has made a Champions League appearance so far - Adžić played for Juve against Stuttgart last season, when he came on in the 68th minute.
This summer, there was talk of a loan for the Montenegrin pearl, but "Gazeta delo sport" recently wrote that Igor Tudor values the young Montenegrin and wants to keep him.
Janković deserved the chance to play under the stars of the Champions League - a guy who is 30 years old and one of Montenegro's key players has opened the doors of the elite for his Qarabag.
His brilliant goal from about twenty meters in Budapest inspired Qarabag's turnaround and a great triumph against Ferencvaros (3:1), so unless there is too much relaxation in the second leg, the Champions League should arrive in Azerbaijan for the second time in history.
While Qarabag remembers the matches with Atletico Madrid, Roma and Chelsea from the 2017/18 season, the Montenegrin midfielder would achieve the dream he came closest to three years ago when the Azerbaijani champions and he were stopped in the play-offs by Viktoria Plzen. He also had an attempt with Partizan in 2017/18, when they skipped our champion Buducnost, but in the third round of the qualifiers, Olympiacos was better than the "black and whites".
All that remains for Janković and Qarabag is to confirm their place in the Champions League and secure eight matches in the elite, while Krstović will have the opportunity to shake the nets after Serie A in the strongest competition on the Old Continent.
As Lecce and Dunajska Streda are far from UEFA's elite, and he didn't get many chances at Red Star, the Montenegrin striker will, at the age of 25, listen to the Champions League anthem and play against the best clubs in Europe.
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