By reaching the quarter-finals of the European Championship, the Montenegrin water polo team has accomplished their main objective, securing their place at the World Championship in Doha.

The encounters in Dubrovnik, particularly against Spain and Croatia, have shown promise, leading the “sharks” to see a potential opportunity against Italy in their semi-final bid—this match against “setebel” is scheduled for Friday at 20:15.

“The crucial phase of the European Championship has begun, and we are prepared and focused on what lies ahead. Our level of play has improved as the tournament has progressed, and I am confident we are in the right shape for the clash with the Italians; whether we advance for a medal hinges on this match,” stated center Vladan Spaić, who sat out the round of 16 against Germany after receiving a red card during the game with Croatia.

The Italians dominated Greece in the group stage but suffered a five-point defeat to Hungary for second place. It appears the “Azzurri” might have calculated their standings (with Francesco di Fulvio not playing against Hungary), likely seeking to avoid Serbia in the quarter-finals…

“We noticed Italy’s loss to Hungary, but that’s not a concern for us. We focus on our game, regardless of any calculations from others. Our approach remains the same: enter each match strong and motivated, driven by the will to win. That’s our only focus,” emphasized Spaić.

Montenegro faced Italy in December at the Sardinia Cup in Cagliari, where they lost by five points after a 5:5 tie in regular play.

“It was a tough match, and while we lost by five points, both teams were missing key players. The teams are quite familiar with each other, so I anticipate a closely contested game where the details will be the differentiating factor,” he added.

Đuro Radović urges the “sharks” to respect their opponent.

“We’ve achieved our primary goal of qualifying for the World Cup and placing among the top eight in Europe. We know Italy well from our recent training match, but that doesn’t fully represent the current situation. Our focus needs to be on countering their individual skills, halting counter-attacks, and approaching the game with aggression and respect,” explained Radović.

Did Italy perhaps strategize to face Montenegro?

“Italy’s defeat to Hungary did take us by surprise, but it doesn’t alter our preparations. We are continually enhancing our form with each match, which I believe is our advantage,” concluded the Jadran water polo player from Split.

News