Buducnost eager to change history against Ferencvaros

Almost ten years and seven months after the infamous and dramatic defeat in the EHF Champions League second leg semi-final, Buducnost are again facing FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria in a crucial match in the Europe's premier club competition.

On Sunday one of these two teams will battle out the place in the Main Round, the other one will have to settle for the campaign in the Cup Winners' Cup. The hosts need a victory, for the visitors even a draw is enough to advance.

More than 10 years ago, Buducnost were not able to take advantage of the good result in the first match (32:32) and lost the second leg.

Maybe because of too much pressure (it was the fifth consecutive EHF Champions League semi-final for Buducnost trying to get their first final), or perhaps due to too much self-confidence in victory, but Buducnost lost that game in “Moraca” hall by 32:31, and FTC went into final.

Perennial Montenegrin champions had to wait until the season 2010/11 to get a place in the European semi-final again ...

"I remember this story, although I don’t remember the game itself, because I practically just started to play handball in that period. However, almost everything has changed in the club since then, from the club management, through the coach to players.

"During all these years, club has accumulated the experience, the players realised that with the pressure nothing can be done," Buducnost’s right wing Radmila Petrovic told ehfCL.com.

ehfCL.com: Do you feel the pressure ahead of this game with the FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria?

Radmila Petrovic: Whenever we played an important match with the pressure, we lost it. There no need for that. We should not be to much relaxed, but we must not let the pressure kill us. On the field we have to show what we know, what we have been preparing for, to implement individual and collective tasks. We are doing so from the time Dragan Adzic became a coach. We have to have the right attitude and maximum responsibility for the tasks given by the coach.

ehfCL.com: You lost the match in Hungary (25:27). Your supporters expects a revenge...

Radmila Petrovic: We expect a very tough match because this is a 'us or them' situation. We are aware of importance of this match, but, again, we must not play under pressure, but we have to give 150 percent of our capacity to win. Hungarians play quite well, it will be very difficult.

ehfCL.com: Are the last two victories against FC Midtjylland and MKS Selgros Lublin a sign that Buducnost is in the right form?

Radmila Petrovic: I am glad that we play better defence from game to game. Sincerely I hope we can keep that and that on Sunday we will be at the same, if not at the better level, in defence than in the game with FC Midtjylland. Hopefully in the attack also.

ehfCL.com: Do you expect a capacity crowd on Sunday in the Moraca hall?

Radmila Petrović: I hope the hall will be full. We are really surprised that in the previous two matches there were not more fans. But, the most important for us is to have the support of those fans, who love us and who believe in us. Hopefully, on Sunday there will be more of them, because we really need their help. The full hall gives us more energy and motivation.

ehfCL.com: For the first time since the 2007/08 season the top goal scorer of Buducnost is not a back player, but the wing. With 28 goals you are currently the best goal scorer in the team. Did you expect such a start of the season, certainly the best in your career?

Radmila Petrović: I did not know that information. In our playing system, which is based on the good defence and a coordinated attack, I think that the wings have a very big impact, especially on defence. I'm not sure how people understand or see it today, but in our team the wings have an immeasurable impact.

It's not like it was once, that the wings are just in the corner waiting for the ball, and to keep on opposing wings in the defence. Nowadays wings have to guard two players in defence, sometimes, even happens to watch over three players of the opponents. This year I started taking penalties, which I have not done before, so that's also the reason why I score so many goals. But really I feel good. Physically I am prepared well, I caught a good rhythm, and I really feel powerful.