Four teams, two ranks, one final, one trophy

Dečić, Jezero, Mornar and Otrant-Olimpik - four teams have secured the Cup finals, and today one of them will be closer to reaching the finals of the most massive competition.

The semi-final matches are scheduled, with Otrant-Olimpik and Dečić meeting (4:30 PM), and Mornar and Jezero (6:30 PM).

The four clubs that have advanced to the semi-finals have collectively won only one Cup trophy so far - Dečić did it last season, when Mornar won the final.

Tuzan played in the final twice more, Jezero once, while Otrant-Olimpik has the opportunity to become only the second second division team to win the Cup, after Čelik in 2012, and the third to play in the final, as Igalo also managed to do so in 2017. History could therefore be made - and the semi-finalists have a chance to take the first step today.

SPECTACLE IN ULCINJ - SECOND LEAGUE PLAYER BELIEVES

Otranto Olimpic is the only second division team among the semi-finalists.

The team that is fighting to return to the elite (it is second in the Second League standings, two points behind Grbalj) already eliminated a first-league team, Petrovac, in the last round with an away win after a better penalty shootout.

Now they will try to do it in a doubles match, against an even bigger favorite, the current Cup winner, Dečić.

The team, which has since been taken over by Milija Savović, wants to use the home court advantage and achieve a result in Ulcinj today (4:30 PM) that gives them a chance before the rematch.

- We have a demanding match ahead of us. Dečić is a great team, we respect them to the fullest, but that will not stop us from showing what we know and how much we can do. We are ready, in a good atmosphere and we hope for a full stadium in Ulcinj, and great support from our fans - said Lazar Lambulić, offensive midfielder of Ulcinj.

There is optimism and caution in the Dečić camp ahead of the away game in the southernmost city.

- There will be a good atmosphere and a tough match. We are the favorites and we need to show that on the field. We are not underestimating Otranto, we are aware of their quality, but also of our own. We are playing two matches, but we are approaching today's match as if it were a final - said occasional Montenegrin national team player Andrej Bajović.

BARANI CONTINUES POWERFUL CHAMPIONSHIP STREAM IN THE CUP

Mornar has seven consecutive wins in the championship. If they continue their run in the Cup against Jezera in Bar today (18:30), they will be one step away from the final - one step away from the trophy, the first in independent Montenegro.

Vesko Stešević's guys, however, aren't thinking that far ahead yet:

- Jezero is a quality team, but we want to make the most of our home field advantage. We are on a great winning streak and we will do everything we can to continue that streak. With the support of our fans, I believe we can achieve the desired result that will open the door to the finals for us - says Baran left back Nikola Stijepović.

Jezero is not without ambitions either. The team, which ended its poor league run with a win against Bokelj on Saturday, wants to show its teeth in Bar.

- We are facing a team that is playing very well this season, as shown by their form and position in the table. But we are looking at ourselves and entering this Cup double-header with one clear goal, and that is to win a place in the final - Ilija Tučević is optimistic.

FINALS IN CETINJE?

The return match is scheduled for May 6. The Montenegrin Cup final will be played on May 28, and there is a plan for Cetinje and the new stadium in the Royal Capital to host the match for the first time.

One final, last year, was played at the stadium near Bistrica in Nikšić, and all previous ones in independent Montenegro (since May 2007) were played at the stadium under Gorica in Podgorica.

The record holder for the number of trophies is Budućnost, which has won the Cup five times (2013, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024), followed by Rudar with four (2007, 2010, 2011, 2017), Sutjeska (2017, 2023) and OFK Titograd (2015, 2018) have two Cups each, while Petrovac (2008), Čelik (2012), Lovćen (2014) and Dečić (2025) have each held the trophy of the most massive competition once. The Cup final was not played in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.