Three rounds towards the end of last season in the Bundesliga, when his Veclar was fighting for a place in the EHF European League, Stefan Čavor suffered one of the most serious injuries in sports.
The Montenegrin handball player made an awkward jump during the training session before the match against Leipzig and tore his anterior cruciate ligament, which immediately ruined his dream of playing at the World Cup in Sweden and Poland.
The minimum break for such injuries is seven months, and he spent just that long off the field. He was injured on June 3, and already on January 9 he was at the training of the team from the German province of Hesse.
And he has already appeared on the field - on Saturday he played in the quarter-finals of the German Cup against Flensburg and registered a goal, an assist and a steal.
His team was defeated on the road after extra time (29:28), but the 28-year-old from Budva watched the match from the stands from the 53rd minute, because he received a red card.
"When I got hurt, it didn't hurt much. The physical therapist did all the tests for the knee, looked to see if it moved and thought it was no big deal. At the time, however, I was warmed up, the muscle was holding the knee, but I had an MRI the same night. It could be seen that my ligament was torn, and I asked the people from the club to have surgery in Croatia, with Dr Saša Janković, who is the doctor of their football team. Everything went great, the doctor was very correct both before and after the operation. He instilled confidence in me, because it was a routine for him, and frankly, I was afraid of how everything would go", Čavor tells "Vijesti".
After the operation, the right back of the "lions" went to his native Budva, and then began his recovery in Podgorica.
"With the physiotherapist of the national team Andrija Damjanović for the first two and a half months, I did the so-called pre-recovery. Andro was there for me 24/7, he had a will for everything. He has so much positive energy that you forget everything when you're next to him," said Čavor.
"After that, I came to Germany for a check-up, to see a doctor, and then to Belgrade to the PhysioSystem clinic, with which I made a connection through Đurđine Jauković i Drasko Nenadić. I spent a month and a half with them, and then the same time with a fitness trainer Milan-Mica Veselinović. Andrija, Raša from PhysioSystem and Mića did the most for my recovery, thank you for everything".
He finished his recovery in Belgrade on December 30, and then after a rest he went to Veclar.
"When I came to the club on January 9, I did all the tests to see if there was a difference between the right and left legs. Everything was fine, so first I started to train individually, and then more and more with the team and played one friendly match before the duel with Flensburg".
Were you afraid when you stepped on the field, to play an official match?
"There was a little bit of that too. I can't say that I'm stiff in attack, but I calculate a lot, look for form, the right timing... Physically, I feel good and in defense I play a little easier, but I see that I lack routine in attack. Just to get the feeling back and everything will be fine”.
Čavor last played for the national team on April 17, in the rematch of the playoff for the World Cup against Greece. He will be ready for the two-leg EHF Euro qualifier with Slovenia on March 9 in Podgorica and three days later in Koper.
"I can't wait for the reunion, it's been a long time since the game with Greece." It will certainly be very difficult for us, Slovenia is not the same team as the one we beat at the European Championship, but we are playing at home and we can rely on the fans. As we beat our rivals every time in front of our audience, I believe we can do it now as well".
One of the constellation of top Montenegrin right backs in the national team will be welcomed by the new selector, because he is Zoran Roganović resigned after 18th place at the World Championships.
"I'm sorry that Zoki left, he created a really nice atmosphere. We have improved a lot as a team, but that is an integral part of sport, there are always such moments. That has to be accepted and moved on, and we have to continue where we left off and try to be better," Čavor concluded.
I WILL LEAVE VECLAR ONLY IF AN INVITATION COMES FROM THREE OR FOUR BEST GERMAN CLUBS
In 2016, Stefan Čavor arrived at Veclar, where he has a phenomenal status, as evidenced by the fact that he has a contract until 2026.
"If I stay until the end of the contract, I will spend 10 years here. I am happy and satisfied in Veclar, although this season is a little worse for the club than the last. The coach was also changed, because we were expected to be in the 'golden middle', and now we are just above the relegation zone. There are still a lot of games, the priority is to enter the safe zone. It is difficult to expect to be sixth, seventh or eighth, as in previous seasons, but it would be good to win 11th or 12th place, so that next year we can start again".
He scored 188 goals in 684 games for Veclar. There were rumors that bigger clubs wanted him, but he is still in the same place.
“There's always a story, but until it's on paper, I'm not going to think about it. If the right moment comes, I will go, but I don't think about it much. It is certain that I will not move to teams that are at the level of Veclara or a little above, but only if I receive an invitation from three or four of the best clubs in Germany".
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