Podgorica celebrate return to the elite

The “Saturday night fever” ended perfectly for Buducnost T-Mobile. With a great support from 6,000 fans in the “Moraca” hall, the champions of Montenegro defeated FKC Håndbold (25:22) and secured a place in the main round. It’s a great success for the young team of Gyula Zsiga to beat FCK Håndbold full of international stars.

Buducnost are back in the European elite after 2004, the last time they were among the best eight teams.

The left back and team captain of Buducnost, Marija Jovanovic, talks about this success:

“It’s really difficult to talk after a match with FCK, because that was the most important and at the same time the most difficult game in my career. But I hope to have more of these moments to come. This was an important exam for our young team and fortunately we passed the test with success.

“I said before that we can confront every team in Europe, we have a great future and I think we will fulfil the expectations of our fans.

“The atmosphere in the hall was really fantastic. To be honest, the reason to start playing handball was exactly this kind of atmosphere in the “Moraca” hall and it was my dream to play in front of such great fans. I’m happy to be part of that show. We are more then satisfied to be among the best eight team. We deserved it and proved it at the last game of the group. I must congratulate all players, from the youngest one to the oldest, because it was very difficult to get into the main round.

“We don’t want to think too much about the opponents there, we want to enjoy this success,” she said after scoring seven goals against FKC Håndbold.

Right back Katarina Bulatovic was also impressed by the whole atmosphere in Podgorica:

“I want to thank all the people in the hall for such a great support. I’m really happy that I had the chance to be a part of all this. I believe we will do even better in the future and with our fans everything is possible. We want to show everybody what are we able to do and that’s why is very important to be in the main round,” said Bulatovic.

Coach Gyula Zsiga was also very satisfied, obviously. He led the team to a success in his first year in Podgorica.

“We have to thank all our great fans who gave us strength to win the game. I hope the team also contributed to the victory. Now I can say that my young players grew up. It was a big task for the team, the pressure was big and I was wondering how my players would react to this situation.

“Luckily, the response was perfect. I was only afraid of Cecilie Leganger and Bulatovic in the first half had a phobia of this goalkeeper. At the half time we talked with Katarina and in the second half she played much better. We prepared very well for this game, there were no surprises.

“Before the start of the CL journalists asked me how many victories we will take at home, and I said that I wish to tale all three. They all smiled to that, but we got the three victories.

“There are no weak teams in the main round and we have to go step by step. My team made big progress from the beginning of the season in all aspects of the game. Our defence in improving with every match and I’m satisfied with the work we have done so far,” added Zsiga.