With Vipers' withdrawal, Buducnost's handball team got an unexpected chance to fight for a place in the round of 16 of the Champions League, now it's time for them to grab it and do something big this season.
The draw against Brest in the last round significantly changed things because the team from Podgorica needs any kind of triumph in the last round duel with Rapid Bucharest to reach the knockout phase.
That the team Bojana Popović lost in France today (16 pm) would have to chase a victory by at least six goals because they lost 32:27 in the first match. Like this - only two points are needed...
- If we got a chance, it means we deserved it in some way - said Popović.
- Matches like this, which decide, make players - show a lot and create team spirit. These are matches that can mean a lot to these girls in the rest of their careers. Rapid is a strong team, with six excellent defenders. All things have to come together in order to achieve what we want. We will do everything to reach our goal, there is no doubt about that. We believe, because those who believe in miracles create miracles - said the legendary handball player.
Jelena Vukčević, the right back of our champion, claims that she and her teammates do not feel pressure before the decisive match.
- There is no pressure, we really haven't felt it throughout the season. On the other hand, it is a very important game. To be direct and clear - I expect a win and a passage. I think we can and I think that in the last game against Brest we felt a special togetherness and energy that led us to that draw. I hope it will be the same on Sunday - said Vukčević.
The crowd this season has not passed the test when it comes to coming to "Morača" - the duel with the Romanians is a real opportunity to make amends, to fill the hall and help the young team achieve victory.
- The energy against Brest was on point. We have a wonderful feeling from that game, because that point is very big and represents a wind at our back for what awaits us. The advantage is that we are playing on home turf. That gives us additional motivation to achieve an important victory - emphasized Jelena Vukčević, who scored nine goals in Brest in the last round.
He is also an optimist Nadja Kadovic:
- We have improved a lot compared to the first duel in Bucharest - we are the second team compared to September last year. This is the most difficult and important match for us, but we live for such matches and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to secure passage with a victory in the last round. Rapid is a team of tricksters, they are not so much a shooting team, but that is more difficult for us. We prepared them well and I believe that we can achieve a positive result in order to round off this story in the best possible way - says the left winger of Buducnost.
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