Following Vipers’ withdrawal, Buducnost’s handball team received an unexpected opportunity to compete for a spot in the Champions League round of 16. Now is the time for them to seize the moment and accomplish something significant this season.

The recent draw against Brest shifted dynamics, as the Podgorica team requires a victory in their final match against Rapid Bucharest to advance to the knockout phase.

Coach Bojana Popović emphasized that a loss in France would necessitate a victory by at least six goals due to their earlier 32:27 defeat. But now, just two points will suffice…

“If we’ve been given a chance, it indicates we’ve earned it in some way,” Popović remarked.

“Matches like this, which are decisive, shape players—illustrate much and foster team spirit. These are the contests that could significantly impact these girls’ futures. Rapid is a formidable opponent with six outstanding defenders. Everything has to align for us to achieve our objective. We are committed to reaching our goal, without a doubt. We believe, because those who believe in miracles create miracles,” stated the legendary handball player.

Jelena Vukčević, the right back for our champions, conveyed that she and her teammates are not feeling any pressure ahead of the critical match.

“There’s no pressure; we’ve really not experienced that throughout the season. However, this is a crucial game. To be clear, I expect a win and progression. I believe we can do it; in our last game against Brest, we felt a unique unity and energy that led us to that draw. I hope we can replicate that on Sunday,” Vukčević said.

This season, the crowd has yet to truly support at “Morača”—the clash with the Romanians is a prime opportunity to rectify that, to pack the arena and aid the young team in achieving victory.

“The energy against Brest was exceptional. We carry a wonderful feeling from that match because that point is significant and serves as momentum for what lies ahead. The advantage of playing on our home turf provides us with added motivation to secure an important victory,” highlighted Jelena Vukčević, who netted nine goals in the last round against Brest.

Optimism is also echoed by Nadja Kadovic:

“We have seen considerable improvement since our first clash in Bucharest—we’re a different team compared to last September. This match is the most challenging and essential for us, but we live for such encounters, and we’re eager to secure our passage with a win in the final match. Rapid is crafty; they’re not predominantly a shooting team, which makes things more difficult for us. We’ve prepared well and I am confident we can achieve a favorable result to conclude this phase in the best way possible,” remarked the left winger of Buducnost.

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