In 2008, Montenegrin handball players made their debut in Scandinavia during a major competition, and now, 18 years later, they are set to return to write their eighth chapter at the European Championships.

They secured a spot at the EHF Euro, hosted by Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in January 2026, before the final qualification round. Thus, today’s match in Bar against Slovakia (18 p.m.) offers the perfect occasion for the “lions” and their fans to celebrate together as they head to their seventh consecutive continental championship.

The national team is eager to express gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support, even during challenging times.

“We owe a debt to our audience and want to bid farewell with a victory. I’m expecting a full ‘Topolica’ and tremendous support from the stands,” stated Aleksandar Bakić, the wing of Montenegro.

A Great Outcome After the Italian Misstep

This match on the Adriatic will conclude the first cycle under the new coach, Didier Dinar. The “lions” have achieved three wins, one draw, and one loss with the legendary Frenchman, securing their spot in northern Europe as runners-up.

“We’ve completed our tasks in terms of qualification, marking yet another significant success for this generation. There’s still one match in Bar to properly conclude the qualifiers in front of our fans,” added the player increasingly utilized by Dinar in both offensive and defensive roles.

While qualifying from a group that included Hungary, Finland, and Slovakia was somewhat expected, it followed a challenging year with Italy.

“After being knocked out by Italy, which was a significant failure, we’ve managed to achieve a remarkable result. This generation possesses immense talent, and I hope this is just the beginning of many great competitions for us,” Bakić highlighted.

Finally, a Victory

Despite the match against Slovakia lacking significance in terms of results, the Montenegrin handball players are committed to ending the qualification campaign in style, treating this match as pivotal on their path to the European Championship.

“We want to conclude the qualifiers with a win, especially since we’re playing in front of our home crowd,” emphasized Radojica Čepić.

The central defender of the “Lions,” along with Branko Vujović, has been a key asset for Montenegro throughout the qualifications.

“There’s still room for improvement in our game before January; we will continue to elevate our performance,” asserted Čepić without hesitation.

It’s now Slovakia’s turn—a team Montenegro previously defeated 38:35 in the first match in Košice.

“We’re delighted with our success. We did what was expected, but we also want to wrap up the group phase on a high note,” concluded Čepić.

Emerging from the post-Italy setback couldn’t have been better—heading to Scandinavia might signal the start of several promising competitions ahead.

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