Partizan are ready for Porto

HC Partizan Beograd starts the VELUX EHF Champions League campaign as organiser of a Qualification Tournament at the second weekend of September. Their fans think that the Serbian champions are the favourites to secure a place in the VELUX EHF Champions League for the second year in a row.

Does this mean more pressure for the youngest coach in EHF Champions League history? ehfCL.com finds out.

"Compared to the last season’s squad, we have some more experience since we played in the Group Phase of last season’s VELUX EHF Champions League," said Aleksandar Brkovic.

"We've made a few changes in order to give new strength and quality to the team and I am very satisfied with the new reinforcements. I am sure that we will be better than last season. Partizan will play faster in attack and defence."

Partizan meets F.C Porto (POR) in the semi-final of the Qualification Tournament. The same teams were in the last year’s Qualification Tournament final in Slovakia when Partizan won and qualified for the Group Phase.

Brkovic continued: "We respect Porto and we are aware of our opponent’s qualities. They are even better than last season, so it will be a tough match for both teams. I believe that we can beat them again as in Presov last September. Of course, our fans will be a huge support, like an eighth player for Partizan. It is always possible to win in front of them."

The RK Partizan coach has no special wish for the possible final clash. In the second semi-final RK Lovcen (MNE) plays RK Sloga Doboj (BIH).

"We don’t think about our opponent in the possible final match. The most important thing is to beat Porto. Whoever will be the other team on court in the final, it won’t be easy. Lovcen and Sloga are two teams of similar quality, but small I would say that the Montenegrin champion has a slight advantage since they had no big changes in their squad over the summer."

Five newcomers presented in Belgrade

The Serbian champions presented five new, older but experienced players, who will give another dimension to the team in the upcoming season.

“I am very happy about my new beginning in Partizan after eight years spent abroad," said experienced left-back, Petar Zujovic, who came back to Belgrade after almost a decade of playing in Greece, Cyprus and Tunisia. 

"It is a big honour to wear Partizan’s jersey again next year. As a member of Partizan you are bound to go for a win in every match. Hopefully, we will play in the VELUX EHF Champions League, but of course, we want to defend the 'triple' in the domestic competitions.” 

Uros Mitrovic, the ex-captain of Partizan returns from Créteil (FRA), Ognjen Kajganic who played in the EHF Champions League with Vardar Skopje and Bosna Sarajevo, Marko Pavlovic from RK PKB and Milan Ivosevic from RK Obilic Beograd are other players that joined Partizan over the summer break.

Serbian national team right wing, Milos Kostadinovic has signed a new contract with the team after his previous contract expired last month.

International tournaments to prepare for the match against FC Porto

RK Partizan will prepare for the Qualification Tournament with friendly international tournaments in Serbia.

The Memorial tournament "Bogdan Rodic“ will be held in Novi Sad next weekend, where teams from Croatia, Romania and Serbia meet.

Two weeks later Partizan participates on another preparation tournament in Kanjiza Spa.