23.08.2015, 07:20
Proud to represent Serbia at the highest level

VELUX EHF Champions League club countdown: 24 days to go - HC Vojvodina (SRB)

Proud to represent Serbia at the highest level

Novi Sad based club HC Vojvodina became Serbian champion for the fourth time in May, but after three failed attempts at qualification for the VELUX EHF Champions League, they now have their maiden voyage in the group phase of the competition.

It is the icing on the cake of the most successful season of Vojvodina’s history, winning the domestic treble for the first time with the Serbian league, cup and super cup.

The mastermind behind those successes was coach Djordje Ćirković, but he left to become coach of Romanian side Constanta and since July Nikola Marković has taken up the role alongside coaching the Serbian U19 national team at the World Championship in Russia.

A quirky fact about the management team is that Marković (former coach of Red Star Belgrade), his assistant coaches Dragan Kukic and Milan Mirkovic Milan and even new team manager Snezana Vukanovic were all line players in their active handball career.

Vojvodina will be part of three competitions - the Serbian league, SEHA Liga and VELUX EHF Champions League - and their concrete goal for the Champions League is to win at least three matches against their opponents La Rioja, Brest, Medvedi, Porto and Presov in group D.

To reach this  goal, Vojvodina made one major transfer: Powerful and tall Former Russian international Alexej Rastvortsev, who had been playing for Vardar Skopje in the past and competed at the very first VELUX EHF FINAL4 in 2010 with Chekhovskie Medvedi.

On the other hand, two Serbian internationals - Miroslav Kocić (to Besiktas Istanbul) and Uroš  Elezović (to Lakwiya/Qatar) - have left the club, as did Montenegrin Vuk Lazović to German side N-Lübbecke.

But despite those departures, Vojvodina are aiming to defend their Serbian titles and to “represent Serbian handball in a proud way,” as manager Darko Jevtic says, adding that the participation in the European top flight is an “affirmation for the club, the chance to promote handball and a complete new experience for the club and the players.”

Team captain Danimir Ćurković is hoping to give “strong resistance to all opponents and to provide the fans with the best possible results.”

HC Vojvodina (SRB)
Qualification for the 2015/16 VELUX EHF Champions League season: Serbian champions

Newcomers:  Aleksandar Gugleta (Radnički Nis), Goran Trkulja (Bidasoa Irun), Milan Vučković (Požarevac), Dejan Pralica (Radnički Nis), Alexej Rastvortsev (Vardar Skopje)

Left the club: Miroslav Kocić (Besiktas Istanbul), Boban Živković (Železničar), Mladen Ivanović (Zvezda), Jovan Kukobat (Sloga Požega),Vuk Lazović (TUS N-Lübbecke), Srdjan Veljković (Zrenjani), Uros Elezović (Lakhwiya), Miralem Bećirović (destination unknown)

Coach: Nikola Marković (July 2015) former coach: Djordje Ćirković

Opponents in the group phase: La Rioja, Medvedi, Porto, La Rioja, Presov in Group C

VELUX EHF Champions League records:
Participations (including 2015/2016 season): 4
Qualification (3) 2005/2006, 2013/2014, 2014/2015

Other achievements :
EHF Cup: Group Phase 2014/2015; Round 3 2005/2006, 2012/2013, 2013/2014
EHF Cup Winners’ Cup: Last 16 2011/12
EHF Challenge Cup: Round 3 2004/05

Serbian champions: 2005/2006, 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015
Serbian cup winners: 2005/2006, 2010/2011

TEXT: Björn Pazen / cor