For Montenegrin water polo players, January is perhaps the most important month in 2020 - they will take part in the European Championship in Budapest, where they want to be involved in the fight for a medal, but also ensure qualification for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
No one expects an easy job for Vladimir Gojković's team, especially since the "sharks" are no longer among the favorites in the biggest competitions, but even placing in the qualifying tournament for the OI should not be in question, because it is necessary for our national team to come at least until the quarter-finals at the EP.
"We have never announced big things, so we will not now either. We can only promise a great fight in the desire to achieve the set goal. In Budapest, we have to show that we are worth it," said Đuro Radović, who has been a standard member of the senior team for years.
The European Championship is from January 14 to 26, and Montenegro is in Group A with Croatia, Germany and Slovakia. The winner of the group goes directly to the quarter-finals, the second-placed and the third-placed must go to a play-off for placement among the top eight.
"The group is difficult, we all know the quality of Croatia, that Germany is a rival to be respected and that there must be no relaxation against the Slovaks. The nuances will decide, and we have to approach every game in the group as if it were a final," says 20-year-old Radović.
Ten days ago, our selection started preparations for the European Championship, sparring with the Dutch in Podgorica, before moving to Nikšić. From Thursday until the penultimate day of 2019, he will work in Herceg Novi.
They will have a dress rehearsal before the trip to Budapest in Podgorica from January 3 to 5, when they will participate in the tournament with France, Germany and Georgia.
"There is tension, we know that the stakes at the EP are high, but we also believe in our own quality. We have been playing in the same rhythm for several years and we know what awaits us. We will see how ready we are against the best teams in the tournament. Favorites? I think Serbia the best," concluded Radović.
Group B at the EP consists of Serbia, Romania, the Netherlands and Russia, in C there are Spain, Hungary, Turkey and Malta, and in D Italy, Greece, France and Georgia will compete.
So far, the host Japan, Serbia as the winner of the World League last year, Italy and Spain, the current champion and vice-champion of the world, the winner of the Pan American Games, the United States and Australia, the champion of Oceania, have qualified for the Olympic Games.
The last qualifying tournament is from March 22 to 29 in Rotterdam, from which the top four teams go to Tokyo.
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