The Montenegrin national football team is gearing up to commence a new cycle this Saturday, as the “brave falcons” enter the World Cup qualifiers. This month, they will face Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands in Nikšić.

The first match, taking place against Gibraltar on Saturday (18), sees our team looking to replicate their success from the previous World Cup qualifiers, where they won both encounters with scores of 4:1 and 3:0. The subsequent match against the Faroe Islands is scheduled for Tuesday (20:45), and the group also features the Czech Republic along with the teams eliminated in the quarter-finals of the League of Nations, where Croatia will meet France.

“We aim to secure six points from these initial two matches. We understand that we must live up to our status as favorites, and we won’t shy away from that responsibility. It’s crucial to start strong from the first minute against a team that will likely adopt a defensive approach, seeking a positive result. It’s up to us to thwart their plans,” stated Igor Nikić, goalkeeper for the “brave falcons.”

Goalkeeper Dečić emphasized to AdmiralBeta that matches of this nature are particularly challenging.

“Both teams will likely take a defensive stance. We will spend the days leading up to the game focusing on tactics to penetrate their defense. We will analyze everything and seek to score early in the match to secure a win. These games present their own set of challenges; every team can pose a threat through counterattacks nowadays. I need to remain vigilant. Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands are expected to play defensively, while I’ll have to position myself higher, along with the back line. It’s a tough task, but we are preparing for it and will not be caught off guard,” he said.

Nikić returns to the squad after making his debut in the previous Nations League edition, where he appeared four times.

“I’m pleased that the coach and staff were satisfied with my performances in the Nations League. However, as we enter this new cycle, nothing from the past secures my place as the national team’s starting goalkeeper. Each match serves as a new opportunity to prove myself. That’s the mindset I follow,” Nikić remarked.

Montenegro will be missing the injured Stefan Savić during this cycle as well.

“There’s no need to discuss Stefan Savić’s caliber as a player; I have watched him on television for 15 years, and it would mean a lot to me to share the field with him. I hope for his speedy recovery so he can join us,” added Nikić.

Following these encounters, Montenegro will travel to face the Czech Republic in June.

“We can compete with anyone, as we’ve demonstrated numerous times. However, I prefer not to look too far ahead. We have two pivotal matches leading up to our away game against the Czech Republic in June, which we need to win. We’ll focus on that for now,” remarked Nikić.

Nikić is hopeful for strong fan support at these matches.

“I anticipate a large turnout from the audience. I remember the support we received during matches against Iceland and Turkey, even in challenging weather. The fans’ presence meant a lot to us, and I hope we will see the same enthusiasm this time around.”

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