Injury rollercoaster for Buducnost as FINAL4 looms

Less than two weeks before the MVM EHF FINAL4 in Budapest, Buducnost are still having problems with injuries. 

But for coach Dragan Adzic there is at least one piece of good news: for the first time since she injured her ankle in January, line player Suzana Lazovic is able to join her teammates on court. 

Lazovic’s injury meant she was sidelined for the entire EHF Champions League Main Round and the quarter-final against Viborg HK. 

The defensive specialist played the recent friendly game with RK Lovcen’s men’s youth team. 

“I feel better, but still not great. There’s still a pain, but it’s bearable. For the first tackles in a game after three months break, and against a men’s team, it was good. 

“It’s not anything close to my usual defensive play, but if I continue at this rate I think I'll be able to help the team and give Dragana Cvijic a chance to rest during the game,” Lazovic told ehfCL.com.

“We had to try Suzana to see whether she can play or not. For now it looks very promising,” Adzic said.

Left wing Biljana Pavicevic is still off the court after injuring her right ankle in the first quarter-final game, but she’s slowly participating more in training sessions.

“I hope Pavicevic will soon join the team”, Adzic added.

There are also problems on the right wing, with Zeljka Nikolic suffering a minor injury to the ankle against the Lovcen youth team and Radmila Petrovic missing that game due to fever.

Contrary to Vardar, Buducnost’s upcoming semi-final opponent at the MVM EHF FINAL4, who had three strong sparring partners (Danish teams Team Esbjerg and Kobenhavn Handbold, and French Fleury Loiret Handball), Buducnost have played just two domestic championship games in preparation. 

Not counting the training game with Lovcen, these matches were against much weaker teams RK Levalea (47:16) and Danilovgrad (26:15).

“Vardar is not the same team we played against in November. They have progressed with the energy Jan Pytlick brought to the team and synergy created with Indira Kastratovic. 

“In the coming days Vardar will look stronger as they learn from their matches against the Danish teams. Their confidence is at a high level, and with the return of Tatiana Khmyrova they will have more options for rotation,” Adzic said.

Last season Buducnost defeated Vardar in the semi-final. Adzic hopes for the same result in Budapest this year. 

“I believe we will remain calmer and stronger, and that we will win the game,” Adzic concluded.