Preparations in Antalya - a real mecca for football teams during the winter break, with clubs coming from all over the world, not just Europe.
In addition to football players, coaches, and everyone else interested in the football business (scouts, agents, sports tourism experts), referees are also being trained on the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Among them is a trio from Montenegro - Nikola Dabanović, our only referee from UEFA's elite group, and assistants Srdjan Jovanovic i Vladan Todorovic.
The three of them are using the break in the Meridianbet 1st Montenegrin Football League to prepare for spring - and it should start for them even before the domestic championship resumes, as they will be delegated to referee some of the matches from top European club competitions next week.
Dabanović, Jovanović and Todorović traveled to Turkey on their own initiative, because they leave nothing to chance - and the judges follow trends, both in physical preparation and everything else.
In Antalya, they also maintain their "form" by being delegated to referee six friendly matches, each of which has been reported to UEFA.
Yesterday, they led the Dynamo Kyiv - Korona Kielce match.
- The break in our championship is quite long, and serious matches cannot be refereed without routine, we have to stay in shape - says Dabanović, the only Montenegrin referee to have refereed a Champions League match.
He is preparing, with his colleagues and assistants, for new big matches, and he also talks about the referee's mission, which is much broader.
- If we have the opportunity and the will - and I believe we do - maybe we can motivate some future generations to become referees. Because, if we are thinking about the future of football, we should also think about future referees - said Dabanović.
Roma - Mitjilan and Braga - Feyenoord are the Europa League matches that were refereed this season by Dabanović, Jovanović, along with many others, had trips to Saudi Arabia, where they refereed Cristiano Ronaldo...
Bonus video:
