13.05.2012, 12:34
Bojana: "We must stay calm and cool"

Figurehead of Buducnost shares her experience of the big games.

Bojana: "We must stay calm and cool"

When she came back to Budućnost in 2010, Bojana Popović did it with only one reason – to reach the EHF Women's Champions League Final and try to lift the trophy with the club she spent most of her professional career, after wining the same trophy five times with Slagelse and Viborg.

The first goal is reached, Budućnost is playing in their first-ever EHF Women's Champions League Final and there is a big chance to get to the top of the mountain and to win the title against Györi Audi ETO KC who have just a two goal advantage ahead of the second leg on Sunday (13 May).

Bojana Popović talks to ehfCL.com about the most important game in Budućnost’s history.

ehfCL.com: You personally played a great game in Veszprém Arena, scoring 14 goals. How far were Budućnost from their best?

Bojana Popović: We are not satisfied with the game we played, but we can be satisfied with the result. It means there is much room for improvement and our better game, and we will show it on Sunday. I don’t threaten, I am promising nothing. We are just working hard and the result will come.

ehfCL.com: Do you expect Györ to change their defence, maybe putting a special guard on you?

Bojana Popović: We are not interested in that. Whatever they do, we know what’s our goal. We will play our defence. Only a few teams had a solution for our attack this season. We will have more players involved in the attack in Morača Hall, so certainly it will be much easier to solve some of the situations. I think there is lot of space in their defence.

ehfCL.com: What is the strongest weapon of Györi Audi ETO KC?

Bojana Popović: They are completely a good team. It turned out that Katrine Lunde Haraldsen is the main driving force behind them. She saves lot of things for them in lots of situations during the game. So I think she is their main strength.

I do not think that their defence is something terrible, but Katrine Lunde Haraldsen is a big help for them. They have a lot of good individuals, I think they have individual quality in the position of line player; Anita Görbicz is a great player, Eduarda Amorim is a great shooter, Jovanka Radičević is excellent in her position.

If we stop them, I think there will be no problems. As a team they are also well-functioning.

ehfCL.com: Since you have lot of expirience in these kind of games, what approach must your team have in the second leg?

Bojana Popović: We must stay calm and cool, we have to play smarter, because those are games where too much adrenaline and too much heart can not be useful. We will try to play the game like we played in the last 10 minutes in Veszprém, to have the control of the game. We have quality, I'm sure of that. We are all prepared and healthy, which is important.

ehfCL.com: Do you have some thoughts about the match?

Bojana Popović: I never have any sentiments ahead of the match. I work hard and fight for every ball, I give one hundred percent at every training session, like all others. Sometimes presentiment can be wrong, you can feel good and than everything can go in wrong way, if you find yourself mentally not prepared. So, everyone should be focused from start and must know what to do, what’s the target, and not let the atmosphere leading us.

It’s important always to have a control over ourselves, and this is the key to success. I feel good physically, and the game will tell everything.

ehfCL.com: Györi Audi ETO KC did not bring a big advantage to Montenegro from playing at the Veszprém Arena. Can the Morača Hall be decisive in this final?

Bojana Popović: I don’t know. Györi Audi ETO KC have only lost away games this season which can indicate that they may have the pressure at the visiting courts. But, I can’t talk about how they will stand the pressure in the Morača Hall.

Basically, we were well prepared for the first match in terms of their audience, in some our way. When you are concentrated on the game, you should not hear anyone outside of the court. I felt that way in Veszprém. I think our players are ready, they will be able to concentrate and focused on the game.

Hungarians fans make a big noise and I am sure they will try to shout louder than our fans but they won't succeed. The atmosphere is definitely a good thing for a good final. I really enjoy playing in such atmosphere. Whoever does not like it,  should not be playing at this level and in finals.

Become a fan of the Official EHF Champions League Facebook. LIKE US! at www.facebook.com/ehf.champions.league

Watch the final leg of the EHF Women's Champions League Final on ehfTV.com (subject to local restrictions). Click HERE for more information.

TEXT: Saša Jončić