Challenging away matches for national champions in Premier League

November 4, 2025

Photo by KVK Radnicki

After another week filled with matches on the European stage, the top clubs from Serbia and Montenegro continue their competition in the Premier League. Last week, six Premier League teams participated in the European cups, but only Novi Beograd managed to earn points.

Consequently, for most clubs, the matches in the fifth round, scheduled for Wednesday, will present an opportunity to heal from their European setbacks.

The national champions, Jadran and Radnicki, will face challenging away games.

The league leader, Jadran, will be hosted by Sabac. Both clubs suffered defeats in Italy last week. Pro Recco was too strong for Jadran in the Champions League (16:7). Sabac was convincingly defeated by Savona (17:12) in the second round of the Euro Cup, although the Serbian team led by three goals in the middle of the third period. The teams from Sabac and Herceg Novi met four times last season in two competitions – the Regional League and the Euro Cup. Jadran secured two convincing victories, but Sabac demonstrated that it can be a formidable rival with a home victory (5:4) in the Regional League and a narrow defeat in the Euro Cup match in Herceg Novi (5:6). Both teams entered the new season with minor changes and stronger lineups. Jadran aims to continue its winning streak, but Sabac proves to be a tough opponent, especially in its own pool.

Primorac will welcome Radnicki. Both teams have played below expectations at the beginning of the season, but Radnicki has left a better impression, especially on the European stage. In the second round of the Champions League, the team from Kragujevac lost to Mladost in Zagreb in a close contest, and Primorac suffered a shocking and convincing defeat to Oradea. Last season, Radnicki proved it was a favorite by winning both matches against Primorac. This time, the Serbian champion enters the game in Kotor with high expectations. However, Primorac also has its advantages, one of which is playing on the home pool.

Crvena Zvezda will host Partizan in the much-anticipated “eternal derby,” which is set to take place at a new venue in Futog that Zvezda has chosen as its home ground. Despite the challenges and player departures they are facing, the “Red Whites” appear to be gradually overcoming their crisis. Meanwhile, Partizan’s young team is also showing signs of improvement in their performance.

In the final match of the round, Novi Beograd, which beat Croatian champion Jadran in Split last week, will play against the bottom-placed Buducnost at home.