Experience added to ambitious Montenegrin powerhouse

Last season, Buducnost were stopped at the quarter-final stage of the elite women’s club competition by eventual champions Györi Audi ETO KC, who won both games and stopping the Montenegrin powerhouse from making the FINAL4 in Budapest for a fifth consecutive year.

Even though the talent was there and the team with an average age of 21.5 look competitive -especially on home court, the lack of experience in Dragan Adzic’s promising team sent a clear signal that squad needed strengthening and that is why right back Katarina Bulatovic, centre back Andjela Bulatovic and goalkeeper Marina Rajcic have come back home.

Three questions before the season:

What are Buducnost’s objectives?

With three experienced Montenegrin players back in the team, and with the impressive level of performance from the youngsters, the two-time Women’s EHF Champions League winners must be eyeing a swift return to continental glory – with the added impetus of the club enjoying their 70th birthday.

“The objective is making it to the FINAL4 in Budapest,” said new Buducnost President, the former Montenegro international Radmila Petrovic, who also played for the club. “But we should go step-by-step – first, we have to get to the main round.

“Metz are a very good team, I watched them last season against CSM Bucuresti and they are dangerous and can be unpleasant to play,” continued Petrovic. “Larvik has their own system and are physically very strong, while Odense have a great coach, Jan Pytlick, and big expectations, plus Danish and Norwegian teams play fast handball.

“So, our group is very challenging, but I'm glad that from the beginning of the season we will play against the strong teams and this will help us raise our form for the most important matches in the season.”

How can the great club set-up in Podgorica help the team?

Preparations for the new season were not smooth despite Milena Raicevic and Ema Ramusovic recovering from serious injuries. The returning Katarina Bulatovic and Andjela Bulatovic returned to the Montenegro capital with shoulder and knee problems, while talented line player Tatjana Brnovic avoided surgery.

"Our preparations for the new season have been the most complex since I've been a coach,” said Adzic. “We had a lot of problems, but the relationship with the club, the physiotherapist, conditioning coach and everyone is phenomenal - the injured players could not get back any faster.

“The attention that the players have in Buducnost, I have not seen anywhere in the world but I have been training these players for year, so I am patience as I know that they will be in the right form when it will be needed.”

How important will the signings of Katarina Bulatovic, Marina Rajcic and Andjela Bulatovic be this season?

Last season Buducnost showed they were on the right path on their journey towards building a new strong team, mainly with domestic players, but with the trio of newcomers, they are hoping for quick results.

“We made it to the quarter-finasl last season with the youngest team in the competition,” said captain Milena Raicevic. “This year we want to go a step further and with our new, experienced players and their support, I believe we can improve on that finish last season.”

Under the spotlight: Milena Raicevic

With 72 goals, Milena Raicevic was Buducnost’s top scorer in the Champions League last season and her performances will considerably affect the team’s play and, ultimately, results.

Raicevic missed most of the preparation period this season because of problems with her right shoulder, but following effective treatment in the Netherlands, she should be ready for the start of the season, and she has already played some minutes in two regional league games against Krim and Jagodina.

Self-esteem

Odense are making their debut in the Champions League, while Metz and Larvik have considerable experience, just like Buducnost. “We have a very strong group and are expecting difficult matches,” said Raicevic. “The most important thing is to be ready for every opponent. We have played against Metz a lot of times in the past and know them very well, while Odense and Larvik play the typical Scandinavian style.”

Fun fact

The last time Milena Raicevic, Katarina Bulatovic, Marina Rajcic and Andjela Bulatovic played together in Buducnost was in the 2011/12 season – the year Buducnost won their first-ever Women’s EHF Champions League title.

Buducnost (MNE)

Qualification for the EHF Women’s Champions League 2018/19 season: Montenegro champions

Newcomers: Katarina Bulatovic (Rostov-Don), Marina Rajcic (Metz Handball), Andjela Bulatovic (Erd), Tanja Asanin (Trebjesa Noa), Anastasia Suslova (Dinamo Volgograd)

Left the club: Djurdjina Malovic (FTC), Marta Batinovic (no club)

Coach: Dragan Adzic (since 2010)

Team captain: Milena Raicevic

Women’s EHF Champions League records:

Participations (including 2018/19 season): 23
Winners (2): 2011/12, 2014/15 Runners-up (1): 2013/14
Semi-finals (8): 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2010/11, 2015/16, 2016/17
Main Round (1): 2012/13
Quarter-final (2): 2002/03, 2003/04, 2017/18
Last 16 (1): 1995/96
Group Matches (6): 1996/97, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2009/10

Other EC records

Cup Winners' Cup:
Winners 2005/06, 2009/10

Montenegrin league: 30 titles (1985, 1989, 1990, 1992-2018)

Montenegrin cup: 23 titles (1984, 1989, 1995-1998, 2000-2002, 2005-2018)