They certainly deserved more than zero points prior to the last 60 minutes in Munich, but misfortune, impatience, and some contentious refereeing decisions have turned the knockout stage of the European Championship into an unattainable dream this time around.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, 18:00), the Montenegrin handball team will face Serbia in the 3rd round of Group C, and they will be motivated to fight until the end of the Euros… Ultimately, even if the final match doesn’t yield any outcome, it’s hard to believe that captain Mirko Radović and his teammates just experienced a game donning the Montenegrin coat of arms.

“We approach every match for Montenegro as if it’s the last of our lives, and we’ll do the same against Serbia,” stated Radović from the Bavarian capital.

A victory against Serbia would grant Montenegro its first opportunity before the playoff for the World Cup. Meanwhile, Toni Gerona’s team still has chances to progress to the next phase of the European Championship.

“For us, maintaining a presence in major competitions is paramount; it’s what we thrive on, and the national team’s legacy is built on it. Therefore, we aim to secure a victory against Serbia to achieve a better position in the playoff and to conclude our championship on a high note. We will prepare thoroughly and give our all to win,” Radović expressed.

The “Lions” had chances for draws against Hungary and Iceland, but Branko Vujović and Vuko Borozan faced bad luck.

“The emotions have calmed down a bit, but it’s hard to believe that after two games like these we have zero points, and that the first and last place in the group could be decided by just one or two goals. We were aware that the group would be tough, but it seems we just had bad luck,” noted the Montenegrin “number 13”.

What might have tipped the scales in favor of Montenegro in at least one of those two matches?

“We will have ample opportunity to analyze these two games, but for now, all our focus is on the remaining game in the European Championship. Nevertheless, I have said before that I am proud of these guys—being part of such a group that represents Montenegro well is an honor,” Radović emphasized.

Hungary and Iceland are both strong handball nations, highly favored against the “Lions,” yet they managed to win only narrowly in the end.

“We placed ourselves in positions to win both matches, but unfortunately, we came away empty-handed—still, we demonstrated our character and potential. Upon entering the championship, we pledged to show that we truly belong here,” Radović concluded.

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