Buducnost primed for defence of throne

The previous attempt of defending their title was after winning the trophy in 2012, however, that time around they were not successful (finishing the competition in the main round). Buducnost will want to improve on their last attempt and defend the title for the first time.

At the annual dinner for players, coaching staff, club managament, sponsors and journalists, the Buducnost president Predrag Boskovic wished the players and coaching staff well and hoped for a successful season.

"Everyone at the club must give their all if we want to repeat the results and hold onto the trophies from the last season," Boskovic said.

Clara Woltering, Marina Rajcic, Camilla Dalby, Jelena Despotovic and Zeljka Nikolic have all left Buducnost this summer. Replacing them Buducnost have a hord of talented younger club players, such as Djurdjina Malovic, Vanessa Agovic, Ana Rajkovic, Djurdjina Jaukovic (Women’s 19 EHF EURO 2015 Top Scorer & MVP), Ema Ramusovic and Dijana Ujkic, as well Serbian Jovana Kovacevic, who is only new player to arrive in Podgorica.

The fact that almost all the best players have stayed in Podgorica, gives the Women's EHF Champions League trophy holders the advantage over other candidates for the throne of Europe.

"Our success from last season will give girls a new energy and convince them that they can do it all again. The players will know each other even better than last season and this is a big advantage in Europe, which, perhaps, will be the strongest in the last five or six seasons," Buducnost Dragan Adzic told ehfCL.com.

Future on the bench fixed until 2020

Just several days before the preparation's start the club management signed a contract extension with Adzic, which will keep the successful coach in Podgorica until 2020.

"In Buducnost I have everything that keeps me in handball and what gives me strength and desire. That is the most important thing. Furthermore, great management, a superb president, and professional coaching staff and players make it easy to stay here. As long as there is interest on the other side, as long we are on this level, always with new energy, nothing will be difficult for me.

Outside of handball, it is great for my family to be in Podgorica and they are my priority at the moment. Looking back and looking forward I am grateful for the past 16 years and am thankful for these next four or five years," Adzic added.

Ten teams capable of excellent handball

On the main competitors for the title Adzic pointed out several names.

"We can expect a tough season because there are around ten teams which play excellent handball. I don’t just mean Györ, who will be strong with the return Eduarda Amorim and Anita Görbicz and the arrival of Nycke Groot, but I mean the reinforced side of CSM Bucuresti.

"They had an amazing season in the Romanian league and is the only team who defeated us last year in a friendly match. Vardar will remain one of the favorites, Larvik HK will be stronger with Alina Wojtas returning, FC Midtjylland have a quality team, also Rostov with Katrine Lunde in goal and FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria will also be formidable. But saying all of this, I am sure that we can come out on top against any of these teams."

Certain risk in the goal

The captain and first choice goalkeeper Clara Woltering left Buducnost, also national team player Marina Rajcic. From last year's goalkeepers only Marta Zderic has stayed. She will be partnered only by two junior players, Ana Rajkovic and Ljubica Nenezic.

"For sure, there is a certain risk involved, but we are ready to tackle that issue head on. We tried to find support for Zderic, but we didn’t succeed. Goalkeepers are late in maturing, but I believe Zderic will be at last year's level and that we will manage to make up for the absence of Clara Woltering.

"Marta is young but she can make huge strides when working with our goalkeeper's coach Vlatko Djonovic. Ljubica Nenezic has shown potential at underage levels. From September onwards we will have Ana Rajkovic back after recovering from injury," Buducnost head coach explained.

Until 15 August the Montegrin powerhouse will be in and around Zabljak, a mountainous region, where they will have some practice matches against Russian side HC Astrakhanochka. Tournaments in Bucharest (from 20 to 23 August), Skopje (from 28 August to 1 September) and Ljubljana (from 4 to 6 September) will follow. At the end of September Buducnost will also host the Romanian national team and will train and play with them.