Nikitina becomes last Budućnost’s reinforcement

Budućnost announced Russian Irina Nikitina (23) as the fifth and final reinforcement for the next season.

The former centre back of Lada Togliatti signed a two-year contract with the Montenegrin champions.

Before Nikitina, Budućnost signed also Romanian Cristina Neagu, Polish Kinga Byzdra, Dane Camilla Dalby and Marta Žderić from Croatia.

Nikitina began her career in hometown of Togliatti, and she played in Lada seven seasons, making debute in the first team in September 2007. She won Russian title in 2008, while last season Lada finished third in the national championship. In 2012, Nikitina was part of the team who won EHF Cup, scoring 10 goals.

Comeback after five seasons

With Budućnost, Nikitina will play EHF Champions League for the third time, since she already played in the premier European club competition with Lada in 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons, scoring totally 30 goals.

Nikitina won a gold medal with Russia at 2008 IHF Youth World Championship in Slovakia (the happiest day of her life, she said for Lada official web site), a silver medal at the 2010 IHF World Junior Championships in South Korea and bronze medal at 2009 EHF European Junior Championships in Hungary.

Adžić expects a tough task in Group Matches

With five new players, Budućnost will try to do better then last season, when Montenegrian champions finished the EHF Champions League competitions in the Main Round. Vienna’s draw decided that Budućnost will meet FC Midtjylland, MKS Lublin and Qualifier 2.

“A very difficult group, because in mine opinion we got the strongest team from second pot - FC Midtjylland while MKS Lublin has an experienced team. I believe FTC Rail Cargo Hungária in strongest team in qualifying phase, because last year they were close to the semi-final, and I expect them to be part of our group.

"We will prepare the best possible way and try as soon as possible to accommodate new players and introduce them into our system. If they will make a real contribution, then we can play with anyone," Budućnost’s Dragan Adžić told ehf.CL.com.