"Lions" defend against the champion

On one side, a selection with seven wins in the last seven matches at the European championships, on the other, a national team that has not even scored a point in 11 consecutive matches at the continental championships. The champion of Europe against the selection that was 16th two years ago in Poland, odds 1,06...

Everything that has been listed best shows how difficult a task awaits Montenegrin handball players at the opening of Group C at the European Championship in Croatia. The rival is the great Germany, which the "lions" could not threaten, nor believe in points, even if the team included the two most famous names of this generation, Vuko Borozan and Nebojsa Simić.

"The Germans are the best team in our group, they have two excellent players in each position. Goalkeeper Wolf was dominant in the previous European Championship, he is the main factor in their game. It is very important for both us and them how we open the championship. We were unlucky with the injuries to Simić and Borozan, but there is room for surprise, because the Germans don't know us and we can do something with a deep defense", says Stefan Čavor.

Along with Vladan Lipovina, the only Montenegrin handball player who plays in the Bundesliga, the strongest national competition in the world, warns that his team must be careful against rivals.

"They have strong and fast defenders, who we can surprise with an aggressive defense. They are dominant in transition, we have to stop that and, of course, have a lot of goalkeeper defense. We are also waiting for Macedonia and Slovenia, which is not in the full lineup, and in those matches anything is possible. A lot of things in the group will also depend on their mutual meeting in the 1st round," the 23-year-old man from Budva points out.

Today's match in Zagreb (17.15:XNUMX p.m.) should help Montenegro prepare for the matches with Macedonia on Monday and Slovenia on Wednesday. The general opinion is that the best chance is against Kiril Lazarov and his friends, but Čavor is not giving up on the triumph even against Veselin Vujović's team.

"Looking at the matches that Slovenia played in the preparatory period and the composition, I think we have a chance in that match as well. Slovenia is an excellent national team, but we must not give up. We have to play as much as possible against them, so we'll see who is better," said Čavor.

One of Montenegro's trump cards could be a guy who will probably play in the Bundesliga starting next season, Miloš Vujović. The left wing of the "lions" also believes that there is a chance in an atypical defense, which the German players are not used to.

"Germany is a very serious national team and each player individually has to know what he should do. We have prepared enough, we have to be patient and confident in what we are doing. We will play deeper defense, with as many fouls as possible, and we will try to outplay the Germans on the counter. Of course, it is necessary to make as few errors as possible in the attack and have good shooting statistics," said the 24-year-old from Cetinje.

Vujović is sorry that his peer and longtime teammate from the younger categories and the senior national team, Nebojša Simić, dropped out during the penultimate training session before leaving for Croatia.

"We were left without two very important players, and Simic's injury happened before our departure, and that does not give us confidence. Let's go, however, with our heads held high, to try to achieve what we envisioned".

And what they imagined was the first victory at the European championships and placement in the second round. Against Germany it is not realistic, nor would a victory over the champion of the Old Continent solve anything, but in the 2nd round in the duel with Macedonia, a key step towards moving to Varaždin could be taken.

"Macedonia is a very serious national team, and we are all rooting for it." We will not approach the other matches lightly either, we will try to win each one. We will see if we have the best chances against Macedonia, as they say," concluded Vujović.

Slovenia - Macedonia will play in the second match of the 1st round of Group C at 19.30:XNUMX p.m.