Montenegrin water polo players found themselves in a position where they couldn’t calculate their way through the group stage to select a quarter-final opponent for the European Championship. It remains a mystery whether it was Italy that strategically “drew” results in group B to face the “sharks” on their path to the semi-finals.

Regardless, another chapter in the rivalry between Montenegro and Italy kicks off tonight at 20:15, where one team will advance to the medal round and the other will drop to the playoff for 8th to 16th place.

Montenegro hasn’t defeated “Setebelo” in three years, having lost to Alessandra Campanje‘s team in all major competitions, including the World League, and again just twenty days ago at the “Sardinia Cup” in Cagliari during preparation for the European Championship.

Given the history, tradition isn’t on the side of coach Vladimir Gojković’s squad. The favorite status goes to their opponents; however, our national team has little reason to fear Italy. Especially after showing in Dubrovnik that they can challenge Spain and force Croatia to rely on referee assistance to avoid defeat.

“The main stage of the European Championship has begun; we are ready and focused on everything ahead. Our level of play has improved as the tournament progressed, and I believe we’re in prime shape for the match against Italy, which will determine if we fight for a medal,” stated center Vladan Spaić, who missed the round of 16 against Germany due to a red card issued in the match with Croatia.

Montenegro narrowly defeated France 20:19 in their group stage, went on to lose to Spain 14:12, and triumphed over Croatia 15:13, securing third place. They then outperformed Germany to secure their spot at the World Championship in Doha, starting February 5.

As for Italy, they kicked off the tournament with a solid victory over Georgia (22:5), dominated against Greece (15:8), but faced a setback against Hungary, losing 10:5. Some speculate that the Italians deliberately fell to second place to avoid Serbia in the quarter-finals and set up a match with Montenegro.

“We saw Italy’s loss to Hungary, but we didn’t focus on that. We play our game, not caring whether others strategize or not. We enter each match strong and motivated with the desire to win. That’s our approach,” Spaić stressed.

The Marseille “anchor” reflected on their recent preparatory match in Cagliari.

“It was a good game; we lost by five points, but both teams were incomplete. We couldn’t hide anything from each other in Cagliari, as we know each other well. I believe an unpredictable match awaits us, where details will determine the winner,” Spaić added.

Djuro Radovic urges the “sharks” not to underestimate their opponent.

“We’ve achieved our primary goal by reaching the World Championship and being among the top eight in Europe. We’re familiar with Italy from our recent preparations, but that game doesn’t reflect the true scenario. The key is to halt their individual quality, avoid counterattacks, and approach aggressively and without respect,” Radović asserted.

Did Italy really strategize to face Montenegro?

“Italy’s defeat to Hungary caught us off guard, but it changes nothing for us. We’re focused on the quarter-finals, and I believe we’re improving match by match, which is our advantage,” concluded the Jadran Split water polo player.

Campaign: Montenegro Approaches Italy’s Game

Montenegro and Italy have a storied rivalry, and it continues in Zagreb. “Setebelo” coach Alessandro Kampanja is cautious before the match against the “sharks,” particularly after Montenegro’s performance in the group stage against strong teams like France, Spain, and Croatia.

“Montenegro is approaching the level of play exhibited by Italy. They displayed a fast-paced game with many counterattacks and quick ball exchanges in Dubrovnik. We must be vigilant to leverage our strengths. Our defense must be the backbone of the team because when we’re solid defensively, we remain composed in attack,” said Kampanja, adding:

“We have to forget about the previous matches against Greece and Hungary. The crucial matches of the tournament are ahead, and we are here to fight until the end. To achieve that, we must perform better than we have thus far,” Kampanja emphasized.

Goalkeeper Marco del Lungo described the loss to Hungary as a timely wake-up call.

“We must move past that match. It was a misstep, a slap that brought us back to reality, demonstrating that we can play below our potential. Montenegro is currently at a serious level, and they’ll want a game that’s fast-paced and demanding, so we need to be fully prepared,” said Italy’s goalkeeper Marco del Lungo.

Schedule

Quarterfinals

15:00 Hungary – Serbia

16:30 Spain – Romania

18:30 Croatia – Greece

20:15 Italy – Montenegro

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