Bulatovic back to Buducnost once again
For the third time in her career, Katarina Bulatovic has joined Buducnost, following one season playing for Russian Women’s EHF FINAL4 2018 participants Rostov-Don.
“Such an occurrence was first a shock for me, and probably for the public. It was, believe me, completely unexpected, even for me,” said Bulatovic. “I am motivated. I see it all as part of a nice story for the Montenegro national team.”
Bulatovic is one of the most successful players in the history of the Women’s EHF Champions League, having won four titles and ranking third in the list of all-time multiple winners.
Bulatovic first joined Buducnost from Slagelse in January 2008, after she won the EHF Champions League title with the Danish team in 2007. Prior to that, she played for Serbian clubs Knjaz Milos and Lasta. During her first term in Buducnost, alongside the usual domestic trophies, Bulatovic won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 2010, the Women’s EHF Champions League title in 2012 and three consecutive regional league trophies.
In the summer of 2012, Bulatovic went to Oltchim Rm. Valcea, reaching the Women’s EHF Champions League Semi-finals. After a season in Romania, she moved to Györi Audi ETO KC, winning her third Women’s EHF Champions League title in 2014.
Bulatovic came back to Buducnost for the first time in the summer of 2014, and the following season, she won her fourth EHF Champions League title with the Montenegrin powerhouse. After two more back-to-back qualifications for the Women’s EHF FINAL4 (finishing fourth both times), the right back – considered to be one of the best in her position in the world – left Buducnost and moved to Rostov-Don. Once again, Bulatovic made it to the FINAL4 in Budapest, but the Russian team finished fourth.
After the 2017/18 season ended, Bulatovic had the chance to come back to Podgorica, along with centre back Andjela Bulatovic and goalkepeer Marija Rajcic, both of whom also returned to Buducnost this summer.
“I'm coming suddenly, but happy and satisfied. I come to try something new in Buducnost. I am the oldest in the team, one of the more experienced, along with Milena Raicevic, Marina Rajcic and Andjela Bulatovic,” said Bulatovic. “I believe, indeed, that with the other young players in the team, we can make it a step further than last season. I hope for big things, and we’ll see at the end how big they will be. So long as I still have motivation, I will play. When I do not have motivation and the desire to win, I will definitely not play handball anymore.”
For Bulatovic, there will be no problems adapting to the team, since the coach is still Dragan Adzic.
“I know everything. I worked with Adzic. I think I will not have difficulty getting into the system. It’s up to the coach to fit us and organise it. My job is to work, as always,” concluded Bulatovic.
TEXT: Sasa Joncic / cg
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