Returning to the scene of last year’s defeat – one year and five days later. In the 3rd round of the Champions League, the Budućnosti handball team faces Odense in Denmark, at the venue where they suffered a punishing loss of 30:25 after just 8 minutes last year, ultimately marking one of the most humiliating defeats in history with a margin of 15 goals (39:24).

The game will take place at the “Sidbank Arena” on Saturday at 16:00.

– The first half from last year remains the worst experience I’ve had while coaching this team – we struggled against their transitions, and they capitalized on every error and missed shot, all while demonstrating their readiness to sprint – recalled Bojana Popović, the head coach, reflecting on that previous match with the “blue and white” team.

What will be the approach to this match?

– It needs to be nothing short of our best performance, with a strong commitment to returning and a disciplined attack that prevents easy goals – Bojana added.

Budućnost has started the Champions League with two losses (to Rapid and Brest), while Odense has had a mixed start.

– Their performance is similar to ours – they secured a strong win at home against Ludwigsburg (28:22), but faced a disappointing defeat in the Danish derby against Esbjerg (39:30) where they allowed too many goals. This might offer us some insights, though it’s essential to note that Odense is a formidable team, and such a loss can be misleading – Popović explained.

The threat posed by the Danish club was evident in their domestic league match.

– Overall, they are performing excellently this season; prior to the match with Esbjerg, they secured a victory with a 17-goal lead over Nikebing, who are also competing in the Champions League – Bojana shared.

How will this year’s Odense differ from last year’s team?

– They now have a new structure, especially in the backcourt – last season, Dion Houscher was their leader; now, they have other players in that role. Their formations include shorter guards who are adept at feints, presenting a more significant challenge than last year’s setup focused on shooting. They frequently rotate these lineups every 15 minutes, maintaining a fast pace, and just like last year, they are exceptionally dangerous in counterattacks – described Bojana of the Danish opponents.

Her players delivered a strong performance for 40 minutes against Rapid in Bucharest, but faltered after 16 minutes in their debut match in “Morača” against Brest.

– We generated numerous chances that went unrealized, which ultimately affected the result, and we cannot allow that to happen again in the upcoming match. We lack the capacity to create so many opportunities only to miss… It’s crucial that we execute our strategies as a team if we aim to compete closely with Odense.

Following this match, the first EHF week will be dedicated to national teams.

– A break? We crave games more than other teams, who might relish a week off… This disrupts our rhythm. We’ll need to seek practice opponents and maintain training, even as we struggle to bring the team together due to players’ commitments to the national team – Bojana concluded.

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