After more than a decade, Montenegro welcomed two representatives in the water polo Champions League, but they will have to wait for their first victory. At least until the penultimate day of October...
Maybe in the first round the defeats came with a good game, but the second round was far from positive - Primorac had no chance against Savona in Kotor (18:12), as did Jadran Mtel in the duel with Barceloneta in Trebinje (16:8). .
The Catalan team is one of the contenders for the title of European champion, they showed it in the clash with our vice-champion, who parried until the beginning of the third quarter.
- We had a different plan, we wanted to try to make them suffer with every decision they made in attack and defense, to try to keep the tie as much as possible - Jadran defender Aleksandar Ivović said.
Barceloneta was too strong.
- I think, first of all, that in these matches our players can only grow and learn - there were certain positive things in that segment. I believe that we can learn a lot from every game in the Champions League and grow as a team - added Ivović.
Two quarters were quite good.
- We wanted to impose a more aggressive rhythm and it looked good until the middle of the game. With the score 4:4, they gave us two too easy goals, which usually breaks such matches, they were two individual mistakes - says Ivović.
This certainly does not diminish the victory of the favorite.
- Even before the game, we knew that Barceloneta was the clear favorite - this is a club that is projected to go to the very end of this competition. On the other hand, our ambitions cannot be measured with theirs - said Leka.
Kotor, the city of European water polo champions, welcomed the return of the Champions League after almost 14 years, but at the "Zoran Džimi Gopčević" swimming pool there was not much to be happy about. Savona scored as many as 18 goals...
- It is unacceptable that we concede so many goals at this level of the competition - the coach of Primorje Vjekoslav Pasković is clear, adding:
- Maybe there was a certain spasm because this is the first match after 14 years in the Champions League in this pool, but it is a segment that functioned very badly and we will have to pay attention to that.
The strategist who brought Primorac the title of champion of Montenegro after many years of fasting expects better performances from his boys.
- We have several players who are playing in the Champions League for the first time, but in any case, this is just the beginning of the season and I'm sure it will get better.
Champions League nights have returned to Kotor.
- Special emotions bind me to this pool. We were always carried by the audience and now there were quite a few spectators. I thank them and tell them to continue to support these young guys - concluded Pasković.
On October 30, Jadran visits Hungarian Vasaš, while Primorac awaits Sabadelj. Before that, the rivals from Bokele are waiting for two games each in the regional Premier League.
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