The preparatory phase has ended with three matches, resulting in three losses.

After a close match against North Macedonia ending 39:37 with a varied lineup, the Montenegrin handball team faced defeats against Croatia (29:25) and Slovenia (37:32) during the “Croatia Cup”.

There were several encouraging signs leading up to the European Championship and the upcoming group matches against Hungary, Iceland, and Serbia, although some areas require improvement.

“We need to enhance our defensive performance in both games. While there were many positive aspects, certain elements need our attention. There’s limited time to prepare, and we must focus because our group at the European Championship is challenging. The energy among the team is quite good and the atmosphere is positive; we’ve accomplished quite a bit, but we must make adjustments, particularly defensively,” commented Stefan Čavor.

Nikola Matović had the opportunity to step in during the second half against Slovenia, replacing the established Nebojša Simić, and he made a strong impression with seven saves.

“Following a tough and intense match against Croatia, which was decided in the final moments, we encountered a fast-paced team. We competed well, and I believe the result does not accurately reflect our strength on the field; nevertheless, our finish cost us a more convincing result than we deserved.”

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