A year ago, at the qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games, Montenegrin handball players shocked Norway and paved the way to Tokyo.
The same rivals will meet again in Podgorica, but the stakes are lower, because the schedule includes the EHF Euro Cup, in which the three hosts of the November European Championship (Montenegro, Slovenia and North Macedonia) and Norway as the defending champions participate.
"The Euro Cup came in handy, so that through this mini league with four teams we can 'mix' and try some new combinations, to see what condition all Montenegrin handball players are in before the European Championship. Not everyone is at the same level of form, we will try to fit in through two training sessions until the match with Norway", said Bojana Popović.
Compared to that victory on March 19 last year (28:23), Montenegro is weaker for Đurđina Jauković, Majda Mehmedović and Andrea Klikovac, Ljubica Nenezić is also missing, while Torir Hergeirson's team is almost complete.
"We want to show our teeth to Norway, which is a superpower, European and world champion, and it comes in full force. That name is a challenge for girls too, whenever Norway is mentioned, everyone gets an additional motive. It won't be easy at all. The EHF week falls in the middle of the competition, so everything is spent, but when you play for the national team it is a special motive, and Norway raises the adrenaline even more".
Two girls born in 1990 are returning to the team, longtime first violinist Milena Raičević and excellent goalkeeper Marta Batinović.
"I'm glad that Marta is here, that Mika is back and that they are healthy and ready to give their best." Surely their contribution will be great".
It would be frivolous to threaten such a rival, but the coach is not giving up.
"Norway has the strongest team, the girls who played in the final of the World Cup in Spain against France will also be here. She has good rhythm, energy, all the players are the leaders of their teams in the Champions League. It is a serious machine, which has a system since childhood and we cannot surprise it very often, but we can resist and fight. We managed to disrupt it several times, we will try to make those world stars feel uncomfortable," concluded Popović.
The first match will be played on Wednesday in "Bemax Arena" at 18:16.45 p.m., the second leg in Larvik is on Saturday at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.
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