Adžić: Viborg and Zvezda are favourites

Budućnost know all the names of their group rivals for the Women´s EHF Champions' League title. But with no surprises in qualifying, the line-up could’ve been guessed beforehand.

Along with German side Thüringer HC, who were pulled out of the draw on July 6, the current European champions Budućnost will defend the title in Group D against Zvezda Zvenirigod (Russia) and Viborg HK (Denmark), both of which are former Women´s EHF Champions League winners (Viborg HK three times, Zvezda Zvenigorod once).

In an interview with ehfCL.com, Budućnost coach Dragan Adžić talks about the outcome of the Qualification Tournaments and looks ahead to the coming season in the Women´s EHF Champions League.

ehfCL.com: You were in Paris for the the Wild Card Tournament, where Zvezda Zvenigorod beat HC Leipzig and Issy Paris Hand. What is your opinion about the Russian team?
Dragan Adžić: Zvezda Zvenigorod played well as expected, and they had no problems qualifying for the Champions' League. They have an exceptional team. In this qualifying tournament Polina Kuznetcova returned from injury, so have good cover in all positions. They also have good coaching staff, so they will be a great opponent.

ehfCL.com: You play Zvezda Zvenigorod first, on 13 October. What do you expect from that game?
Dragan Adžić: We know well all the Russian national team players from Zvezda Zvenigorod, and also the French player Alexandra Lacrabere. Anastasia Lobach from Belarus is also a quality player who we didn’t know much about beforehand, and Julia Nikolić was the best player for several years in the French championship, like in FYR Macedonian national team, earlier in Kometal. Liudmila Postnova has returned, so the coaches had the opportunity to see all their players except Brazilian left wing Da Silva Rocha, who is still injured. They still need to put all the pieces together, but they have quality in all aspects of the game. They are favuorites, absolutely, but I hope we will be ready and healthy for that game to we will try everything to surprise them.

ehfCL.com: Viborg HK used home advantage and had no problems in beating Brühl Handball (Switzerland) in the semi-final, and then Vistal Łączpol Gdynia from Poland in the final. Did you expect Viborg to be in your group?
Dragan Adžić: Yes, because Viborg’s quality is undoubted. In my opinion, Viborg is the best team to come through qualification. They have players who have won the Champions' League, and lot of new quality signings, especially from Sweden, and French goalkeeper Cleopatre Darleux. They will be difficult opponents, even without the injured Amanda Kurtovic. She is a young player and certainly wouldn’t be a game changer in a team with other more experienced players. So it will be difficult against them, and against Thüringer HC as well because they also have three or four new players who have won medals and trophies in international competitions.

ehfCL.com: In Group D there are three teams that have won the Women´s EHF Champions' League. And Budućnost is not as strong as last season with Bojana Popović and Maja Savić retiring and Katarina Bulatović, Ana Đokić, Sonja Barjaktarović, Ana Radović and Dijana Jovetić have left. So, what are your expectations in the coming season?
Dragan Adžić: It's a very demanding group and our young team will have to give 110 per cent if we are to reach the Main Round. We will do all we can to make life difficult for every opponent, home and away. The players who were here last season made a great contribution to the team, and they now have experience behind them, regardless of their age. We won’t roll over and give in to anyone. Our opponents have more quality, but that does not mean that they will win, certainly not easily.