Tomorrow at 20:15 (5 p.m.), the Montenegrin water polo team will face Romania in a play-off match for 8th to 10th place at the European Championship in Croatia.

Last night, the “Sharks” were defeated by Italy in the quarter-finals (14:8), concluding another tournament without a medal. Montenegro displayed its potential against Spain and Croatia during the group stage, but struggled against Italy and ultimately fell short.

“The upcoming match against Romania is crucial. A victory is essential for us to secure a more manageable group at the World Cup in Doha. It’s challenging to recover from such a defeat, but winning would significantly benefit us. We must rise to the occasion. If we stumble against the Romanians, the path to Paris becomes even more daunting. Objectively, we should be able to outperform them,” stated Aleksa Ukropina.

The World Championship in Doha is set for early February.

“Our motivation is consistently high. We are a young team, and each match and opportunity is vital. The match with Romania could lead to an easier draw in future competitions. We’ll approach this game seriously and give our all. It’s been a tough tournament, and we’re doing everything possible to recover adequately. I hope we can rest before the game. We intend to come in prepared and focused — I believe that’s essential for victory. Our primary objective has been accomplished: we’ve qualified for the World Championships in Doha. Our goal there is to secure an Olympic spot,” commented Dušan Matković.

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