The sports year traditionally kicks off with the New Year ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, alongside Premier League matches. For fans in Montenegro, however, the excitement begins tomorrow, as Croatia hosts the European Water Polo Championship from January 4 to 16.

The “Sharks” will first aim to secure a spot at the World Championship in Doha come February. They also harbor hopes of clinching a place at the Olympic Games in Paris during the matches at the Zagreb pool by the Sava.

Team Vladimir Gojković faces a particularly crucial match at the outset, set to take on France tomorrow (17 p.m.) at the Gruž pool in Dubrovnik.

This encounter may very well determine the fight for third place, as their other opponents—Croatia and Spain—are seen as medal contenders. A win would pave the way for Montenegro to reach the quarterfinals, especially given that the team finishing fourth in Group A might very likely face a tough matchup against a Division 2 team like Serbia.

“The championship format is unique, and we’ll see how we cope. What we encounter will also be faced by others. The preparation period was brief, but we’re putting that behind us, focusing solely on our group. We have three critical matches ahead, starting with the ever-improving France,” emphasized Stefan Vidovic.

The Sabadell player acknowledges the significance of facing a recently enhanced opponent, notably center Michael Bodegas, who bagged a bronze medal with Italy at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

“While the first match isn’t definitive, it’s the most vital. Securing a win is crucial, particularly as Serbia is expected to lead in Division 2. We’re not making calculations, but we aim to concentrate fully on our next opponent, game by game. France has been improving dramatically for years and now boasts Bodegas at the center, adding depth to their game and extra support in both the center and back line,” he noted.

Montenegro and France have a history of encounters in recent years, the latest being on December 20 at the “Sardinia Cup,” where the “Sharks” triumphed over a mixed Gallic rooster lineup with a score of 17:11.

“We often meet France in recent years, mostly during preparatory matches. They’re a physically dominating team with amazing talents like Vernu among others, and they’ve lately made considerable progress. The Sardinia tournament was more of a practice for us to refine our systems, and given that France was somewhat weakened, we can’t rely on that match as an accurate gauge for what’s to come in Dubrovnik,” Vidović emphasized.

This marks the fourth European Championship to be held in January, and notably, Montenegro has medaled in all three previous tournaments—silver in Eindhoven 2012 and Belgrade 2016, and bronze in Budapest 2020. Perhaps it’s time to replicate that success, as Gojković’s team approaches its peak, eagerly eyeing gold in the World League since July 1, 2021.

“It’s been a while since our last medal, before the Tokyo Olympics, and before that at the Budapest European Championships. We are grooming as a team year by year, now nearing our zenith. This summer at the World Cup showed us we’re on the right track; we lacked results but not performance. Our players are coming into their prime, and we can definitely aim for a stellar result soon,” Vidović concluded.

Croatia boasts immense quality, Spain excels the most

While the “Sharks” remain focused on overcoming France, they’re also mindful of the other Group A favorites.

“Spain and Croatia are superpowers. The host is the reigning European champion, now enhanced further. Croatia wasn’t at its peak during this summer’s World Cup, where we managed to beat them in the round of 16, but they’ve remained unified for an extended period under the same coach. Their individual talents are unparalleled, making them one of the major contenders,” asserts Vidović.

The veteran player, with a plethora of caps for Montenegro, expresses high regard for the “red fury.”

“I play in Spain with several national team members; they’ve played some of the most beautiful water polo recently. They possess great skill, maintain a high level of motivation, and consistently emerge as major favorites. We know how to compete against them, but we won’t promise anything—only assure of our utmost effort. This championship is distinctly structured, with three decisive matches already in the group stage—something different from before,” the Sabadell water polo athlete affirmed.

Main objective: Qualifying for the Olympics, starting with World Championship in Doha

The upcoming European Championship in Croatia will identify the sixth participant for the Paris Olympic Games, alongside the fourth from Europe. Previously qualifying are France, Hungary, and Greece, while Croatia, Spain, Montenegro, Italy, and Serbia compete for one more spot.

The “Sharks” will aim to secure their fate in the knockout stage in Zagreb, with reaching at least the quarter-finals being essential to compete for one of the remaining three World Championship slots already claimed by Spain, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Serbia, and France.

This situation presents a new opportunity for Paris, as four Olympic slots will be up for grabs in Doha.

“Our target this year is to qualify for the Olympic Games. Naturally, we’d prefer to achieve that through a medal at the European Championship, but our immediate goal is to qualify for the World Championship. Securing a spot in Paris will be tough, but it is our aspiration and under discussion. We firmly believe that these two primary objectives are attainable—how we navigate this path isn’t the main concern right now,” remarked the 31-year-old.

Despite the pressure, Vidović welcomes it.

“Pressure is a part of the game. If it weren’t for pressure, it wouldn’t be exciting. It’s the essence of the sport; it gives significance to our matches, making water polo worthwhile. Positive pressure is essential, but we must ensure it motivates rather than inhibit us from performing at our best.”

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