With only five rounds remaining in the Champions League group stage, the Buducnost Bemax handball team finds itself four points behind Debrecen, currently in 6th place—the last qualifying spot for the knockout rounds.

Given this situation, today’s match at “Bemax Arena” (16:00 p.m.) is crucial. The team, led by Bojana Popović, needs to secure a victory against the Hungarian side, ideally by a larger margin than their previous away loss of 27:22.

Winning would keep their chances of advancing alive in the remaining four matches. Conversely, any draw or loss would effectively end their season.

“This is our most vital match; we prepared extensively because Debrecen is a team we can compete with. Our first match showed promise despite the loss, as we had our moments but faltered at the end,” Popović noted.

A week ago, Buducnost faced a harsh reality, setting a club record with an 18-point defeat, matching their earlier loss to Djerba this season, and conceding the most goals ever in a Champions League match against ĆSM Bucharest (44:26).

“I hope the shock from the Bucharest match won’t linger. The Debrecen game is key, and though there will be pressure on the girls, that’s acceptable—this season holds significant stakes. While I can accept mistakes, the team must showcase resilience. This was evident with the Montenegrin national team, and we must acknowledge that we lack top quality. Such determination is non-negotiable,” she said.

Popović stresses the importance of containing Petar Vamoš, who will join Metz in July.

“Debrecen has been cohesive for a while, gaining invaluable experience through both the Hungarian league and the Champions League, playing with courage and decisiveness. They’ve pulled off a few surprises. Vamoš is the linchpin for the Hungarian national team and orchestrates much of Debrecen’s play. Stopping him is vital,” Popović concluded.

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