Almost four months of fierce preparations, one big competition, the final tournament of the World League and about twenty training matches - all this went through the water polo team of Montenegro from the beginning of May until today's start of the European Championship in Split.
At the world championship in Budapest, it was seen that the "sharks" are still far from the top (they were in eighth place), and Split should show whether the tournament in Hungary was a good school before the new challenges that await Vladimir Gojković's chosen ones.
Because, whether she wanted to admit it or not, a step forward is needed, and Montenegro in Dalmatia is defending a medal - the bronze one from the EP in Budapest in January 2020, won after an unforgettable turnaround against Croatia in the duel for third place.
Gojković gave a chance to a large number of young players this summer, so at the World Cup there were four debutants - Marko Mršić, Vasilije Radović, Uroš Vučurović and Konstantin Averka.
Three of them will also perform in Split (Vučurović is absent), two newcomers - Jovan Vujović and Luka Murišić - have been added, while Aleksa Ukropina and Vladan Spaić have returned to the team.
"Honestly, we can't wait for the start of the championship. We worked hard all summer and finally the moment has come to show what we can do and how much we have progressed," Dušan Matković, former leader of Primorje and new acquisition of Barceloneta, told "Vijesti".
Our team opens the tournament against Georgia (10.30:XNUMX a.m.), a rival that it knows well and that gave it a hard time in the group two months ago at the World Cup. However, it is known to whom the role of favorite belongs.
"We have only one imperative - to give our maximum at every moment of the competition. I think we are in very good shape, much better than at the World Cup and the final of the World League. This will allow us to raise to a higher level the style of play that we have started to cultivate." , Matković pointed out.
In addition to Georgia, the opponents in group A are also Slovakia and Italy, the favorite for the first place in the group.
The match with the Slovaks is on Wednesday, and the derby against Azura on Friday.
The first-placed teams from the four groups go directly to the quarterfinals, and the second-placed and third-placed teams to the round of XNUMX.
"We are aware that the most depends on that match with Italy, but we must not underestimate the first two rivals. Especially Georgia, who tormented us in Budapest. I am sure that we have learned lessons from that match. If we do not repeat some mistakes from that match, I don't believe we will have any problems," says Matković.
Montenegrin water polo players have participated in European championships seven times so far and as a rule - in every other tournament they won a medal.
In Malaga in 2008, they won gold in their debut performance, silver in Eindhoven in 2012 and Belgrade in 2016, and bronze in 2020.
Ukropina: No promises
Aleksa Ukropina skipped the World Championship by the decision of the selector Vladimir Gojković, after that he was one of the most notable players of the "Sharks" in the World League and in preparatory tournaments.
At the age of 23, he already has enough experience in the national team, and is expected to make a difference in Split.
"We have a long summer behind us - a lot of matches and training to get in the right shape. Georgia is waiting for us at the start, and that match could be an indicator of our possibilities. It is an opponent that has individual quality, a lot of "foreigners" and if we shut them down, we will bring the match into the rhythm we want, thus getting closer to victory," said the water polo player from Radnicki from Kragujevac.
Montenegro does not have the imperative of a big result, but...
"We have high expectations, but we can't promise anything. We're going game by game," added Ukropina.
Petar Tešanović, one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, expects the Montenegrin selection to go through the tournament.
"We need to be right in the quarterfinals, but first Georgia - we know the qualities of that team very well, there are many naturalized players. I believe we are better and that we will open the European Championship in the right way," Tešanović pointed out.
Group A schedule
Today
Georgia - Montenegro 10.30
Italy - Slovakia 15.30
Wednesday
Montenegro - Slovakia 14.00
Italy - Georgia 17.00
Friday
Georgia - Slovakia 10.30 am
Italy - Montenegro 19.00
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