CFL on four fronts: A duo for the title, a rush for Europe, uncertainty for the play-offs and survival

Seven rounds before the end of the Meridianbet 1st Montenegrin Football League table can be divided into four zones - four "fronts".

The first is the championship, led by Sutjeska and Mornar. The team from Nikšić is at the top with four points more than Baran and they are the only two candidates for the title.

The second front is European, and three teams are fighting for the one remaining place that leads to the European stage via the championship: Dečić, Petrovac and Budućnost. The team from Tuža has 46 points, the team from Petrovac has 45, and the team from Podgorica, who are in the most difficult position, has 41.

The third unit is already involved in the fight for survival, or rather for direct survival - avoiding a position that leads to the play-offs. The fight is tight and is led by three teams: Mladost with 36, Jezero and Arsenal with 35 points each.

And the fourth - a fight for survival, with two teams, with Bokelj having four points more than Jedinstvo, who still hopes to avoid last place and direct relegation.

It remains to be seen whether there will be any "overflow" and transition to another zone at the finish, which requires large series, whether positive or negative.

FIRST WITH FOURTH, SECOND AGAINST THIRD

In the first zone, another round in a series that could determine the course of the game. The leaders play against the third or fourth. Sutjeska, namely, is away to Petrovac, and Mornar welcomes Dečić, and the top of the table could look different after this round.

Sutjeska has beaten Petrovac twice this season, in three matches, with one draw...

- I'm not a fan of statistics, the previous duels are behind us, our goal is to remain hungry for triumph, not to be satisfied with little things, because we know that if we take the next step, we are even closer to the goal we set - emphasized the Sutjeska coach Milorad Peković.

The match at the "Mitar Mićo Goliš" stadium closes the 30th round (18 p.m.), and Sutjeska will know before the start whether it is playing for another breakaway, or to preserve its plus four.

- We know that Petrovac is a quality and disciplined team, which plays hard, especially at home. We will try to repeat the approach and play from the previous match against Buducnost and try to win points - said Peković.

Mornar is on a terrible streak - six consecutive wins, which has put Vesko Stešević's team in a position to fight for the title, and today they will try to put additional pressure on Sutjeska.

Dečić has given up on the championship race due to the results, but he is not out of the fight for Europe, as the Cup semi-finals await him.

- We have a very tough match ahead of us against Dečić's team, who ended their two-game winless streak in the last round, and we continued our excellent streak by beating Arsenal in Tivat. They have a few good individuals, but we are only looking at ourselves. As in every match, we are going to win. I would like to invite all fans to support us in as many numbers as possible so that we can continue the race with Sutjeska until the last round - said the Mornar defender Velimir Ljutica.

Mornar has 6 consecutive wins, which is the best current streak in the CFL. The following teams fell to Barani in that order: Bokelj, Budućnost, Petrovac, Jezero, Sutjeska, Arsenal

IS THERE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE?

While Buducnost is going through turmoil within the club, in what has been its worst season ever, the players will try to beat Arsenal on the field and stay in the race for a place on the European stage.

The Podgorica team has lost to Arsenal twice this season - both times in Tivat, they won at Gorica.

- Arsenal have already shown us how dangerous they can be and there should certainly be an additional motivation for us. We are playing at home, we want to show a reaction after the defeat to Sutjeska in the derby and achieve a victory - he said Damjan Dakić, a defender from Buducnost, who played at Arsenal as a loan player.

- A derby defeat is never pleasant, and the work week was good for us to reset, reassess and correct some things. We worked well, focused on what distinguished us during the victories against Petrovac and Jezera, and I believe we will react in the right way - added Dakić.

The match under Gorica starts at 15 pm, and the 30th round, an hour earlier, opens with duels between teams from zones three and four: Bokelj - Jezero and Jedinstvo - Mladost DG.

Couples

BOKELJ - LAKE (14 pm)

Referee: Savo Vujović (Cetinje)

UNITY - YOUTH DG (14)

Referee: Miloš Bošković (Podgorica)

THE FUTURE - ARSENAL (15)

Referee: Nikola Dabanović (Podgorica)

SAILOR - CHILD (15)

Referee: Branko Odalović (Nikšić)

PETROVAC - SUTJESKA (18:XNUMX p.m.)

Referee: Miloš Bešović (Podgorica)