06.11.2008, 05:10
Leader at the age of 22

The 22-year old captain of Buducnost, Marija Jovanovic, talks to Eurohandball.com.

Leader at the age of 22

Buducnost T-Mobile and the team captain Marija Jovanovic started the season very well. After eight rounds in the Regional league, the Montenegrian champions are top of the table with only one defeat.

After a win over Orsan Elda Prestigio, Buducnost are first with Austrian Hypo in Group B of the Champions League.

With 50 goals scored in Regional league, top scorer, and six goals against the Spanish champions in the CL, Marija Jovanovic is the most important player of Buducnost at this stage.

Eurohandball.com: The game against Elda was very difficult with lots of ups and downs. At the end Buducnost deserved the victory showing great spirit in the final minutes of the game. How important are the first two points in the group?

Marija Jovanovic: The win againts Elda was very important, especially psychologically. It seamed that everybody in the city expected an easy win. But at the beginning of the match I knew that the game wouldn’t be easy at all.

Before that game we didn’t know too much about Elda, but the Spaniards obviously had enough information about us. This made everything more difficult. Certainly we didn’t play our best game, maybe because of the importance of the game and because we are a young team. But the most important thing is that we won and everything will be easier in the next matches.

Eurohandball.com: In the next round you will meet Hypo on Friday night in Vienna. On 20 September you defeated Hypo in the Moraca hall by 34:32 at a Regional League game. Can Buducnost repeat it?

Marija Jovanovic: No need to speak about Hypo’s traditions in Europe, the strength of the club and the team. But we have more information about them than about Elda. Hypo can hardly surprise us with something special.

Hypo are a great team, with at least two quality players for every position. They can keep the same rhythm for the whole duration of the match.

Champions’ League is a more important competition than Regional League for both clubs. I expect a more difficult game then the one in Podgorica. Anyway, we are not going to Vienna with the “white flag”, but for a victory. We have enough quality and if we will play as good as we can, we have a chance to get a good result. At the same time I know that Hypo are favourites of this game. The fact that we are not under pressure can be our trump card on Friday.

Eurohandball.com: Did you expect such good results at the beginning of the season?

Marija Jovanovic: To be honest I didn’t think about that before the start, but for me it’s not a big surprise. We are training very well and the atmosphere is great. We are playing well.

If we continue like this and we show the things we practice and enjoy the game, the result will come automatically. I’m optimistic about the rest of the season.

Eurohandball.com:Can Buducnost reach the quarterfinals?

Marija Jovanovic: Yes, why not?

Eurohandball.com: After many years Buducnost chose a young team captain. You are only 22. This must be an honour and also a big obligation.

Marija Jovanovic: When I started handball my dream was to become a player of Buducnost and to play in front of a full Moraca hall. Now I’m also the captain of the team. I must say that there are no words to express what I feel. I’m very proud, because my dream came through.

It is a great honour and it’s not pressure on me. Now I have more duties in the team and I feel good when I have that pressure. It pushes me to give 100 % every training, every game.

TEXT: Saša Jončić