In prior years, Buducnosti handball players dominated Europe, clinching the coveted Champions League title in 2012 after a thrilling final against Đera, and three years later, they effortlessly secured the title once again, being one of the two teams alongside Vardar to reach the inaugural final four in Budapest…

Currently, however, the leading Montenegrin club appears to be a stepping stone for its competitors to bolster their goal difference.

There were numerous indications that this season, which promised at least some improvement from last year’s round of 2, would be challenging. This was confirmed in the 39th round when they suffered the worst defeat in the club’s history on the road to Odense, losing 24:XNUMX.

Following that, the club’s record was shattered four additional times, with three matches ending at a deficit of minus 18 and once at minus 16. Notably, ĆSM Bucharest surpassed Valencia’s long-standing record of 40 goals scored against the “blues” by netting 44.

Several factors contributed to this downfall; all elements have now “aligned,” culminating in this situation.

In the 2017/2018 season, the last overseen by former president Predrag Boskovic (who had to resign due to the Sports Law), the Podgorica giant operated on a reduced budget compared to prior seasons, aiming to promote young Montenegrin players.

While the consecutive appearances in final tournaments ended, the team, coached at the time by Dragan Adžić, reached the quarterfinals twice consecutively. The return of Jovanka Radicevic and Majda Mehmedović in the summer of 2019 was promising, but the competitive year that could have led them back to the top eight was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

For the 2020/2021 season, top players like Andrea Lekic and Alison Pino joined, accompanied by Valeria Maslova, Barbara Arenhart, and Armel Atingre. However, the club faced significant financial issues due to governmental changes, negatively impacting their performance.

Debts burdened the administration, which led to the quarter-finals in the 2020/2021 season being the last achievement under Bojana Popović, who succeeded Adžić.

Struggling financially and facing lawsuits for debts from the COVID-19 season, Budućnost had to seek more affordable reinforcements, allowing young players—previously overlooked—to prove their worth.

This lack of funds, reminiscent of 2006, had its silver lining, as emerging Montenegrin handball talents contributed significantly to winning the European bronze medal in November 2022.

Budućnost initially signed two Turkish players for this season—Neslihan Čališkan and Bayz Karacham—who did not make their debuts as they were deemed inadequate for the Champions League during preparations.

After their arrival, “Bemax” decided to invest more funds into Budućnost, resulting in the appointment of Katarina Bulatović as the sports director. Unfortunately, she joined too late, missing the crucial transfer window that typically closes by January.

Collaborating with Popović and somewhat less with Petrović, she had to choose from a limited pool of available players but unfortunately made several missteps.

As major reinforcements, she acquired Olympic, world, and European champion Kalidiat Niyakata along with Noemi Hafru. However, both arrived post-injury, revealing during preparations that they were far from their prime, contrary to promises made by those who endorsed their signing.

Troubles persisted, with Petrović resigning following a loss against Bittighheim at the season’s start. Additionally, Milena Raičević was stripped of her captaincy and sent to Rudar branch after suing the club for unpaid wages while in another country.

This case will be addressed by the EHF Court of Arbitration, but it has already cost Budućnost significantly—in both reputation and performance—especially since she was one of the six officially recognized legends of the club and the sole center back in the squad.

The season concluded in embarrassment, yet the upcoming one holds promise for improvement. Why? Because it can hardly get any worse than what has transpired.

The returns of players like Jelena Despotović, Đurđine Jauković, and Nina Bulatović, alongside promising young Russian players like Valery Kirdyasheva, signify potential for better performance.

If nothing else, even the sixth-place team in the group shouldn’t have a staggering nine-point lead over Podgorica, despite the fact that few top players are inclined to join a team with a goal difference of minus 14 over 122 Champions League matches…

News