10.08.2012, 11:24
Lovćen aiming for VELUX EHF Champions League place

Montenegrin team looks to return to Europe's elite after 11 year absence

Lovćen aiming for VELUX EHF Champions League place

The team from HC Lovćen only experienced a few changes over the summer break. Now they started their preparation for the upcoming season where the Montenegrin team has the chance to play in the VELUX EHF Champions League after 11 years of absence.

"Some financial issues forced us to stay in Cetinje but the air here is very good for training. Working conditions are good as we can use the stadium for running, the gym and the hall," coach Pero Milošević told ehfCL.com.

"When it comes to the second part of our preparation which includes friendly games and tournament it gets a little trickier. Those are difficult to organise in Montenegro since none of the local opponents are here by that time. We are planning to leave for a week and play some matches. We want to play at least six or seven friendly games. Of course, everything depends on the opponent. Most of the teams have already agreed to participate in a tournament," he said.

In addition to coach Milošević, 11 players decided to extend their contracts – goalkeeper Vladan Abramovic, left backs Marko Drašković and Goran Lasica, central back Marko Jovetić, right backs Ivan Perišić and Vladan Lipovina, left wings Igor Marković and Milan Popović, right wing Mirko Radovic, and line players Nemanja Grbović and Andrija Pejović.

Six players left the club, goalkeepers Nebojša Simić and Vuko Borilović, line player Nikola Marković, central back Vladimir Stanković, left back Vuk Latković and right wing Miloš Kaluđerović.

So far, there are three new players in the squad. Macedonian goalkeeper Zlatko Daskalovski is a former player of Vardar and has spent the last season in Turkey. Central back Bogdan Nikolić played for the Montenegrin national team as a youth and junior players. Nikolić comes from Sutjeska. Finally, the young line player Ivan Radović, from local club Cepelin joins the team in the upcoming season.

"I am satisfied; almost 90% of last year’s team stayed. The club management did a good job. They managed to keep the players who did a great job last season. This makes it all easier since we already know one another and are used to each other," added Milošević.

When it comes to the ambitions for the upcoming season, Lovćen want to achieve a good result in the regional league, win both, the national championship and cup title and of course secure a place in the VELUX EHF Champions League – which is the main goal of the club.

Lovćen participates in a VELUX EHF Champions League Qualification Tournament, which will be staged on 8/9 September in Belgrade. The team from Cetinje will face RK Sloga from Bosnia Herzegovina in the semi-final, while the other semi-final is RK Partizan versus FC Porto Vitalis.

"We will try to qualify for the VELUX EHF Champions League, therefore we are going to do a lot of preparation for the first match against Sloga. In this type of Qualification Tournaments there are no favourites. Although Partizan is the host of the tournament, Porto is a powerhouse and Sloga is the team, which surprised everyone last year in the Bosnia Herzegovina championship. But we know our qualities and we go for a victory in every game,” concluded Milošević.

TEXT: Saša Jončić