The national team of Montenegro for Group B of the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Division 1 in Podgorica is mainly composed of players from foreign clubs.
Head coach Vladimir Gojkovic has announced the 18-player list for the World Cup; twelve play for non-Montenegrin clubs.
Still, one player from a Montenegrin team deserves special attention.
Of special note is the return of Djuro Radovic to the national team after a year and a half absence. As we already reported, the 24-year-old leftie played his first official game ten days ago after a long pause. He was suspended between the autumn of 2021 and February 2023 because he made mistakes in the anti-doping procedures. Radovic will play for Jadran Herceg Novi on loan from Olympiacos until the end of the season. After that, he will return to Olympiacos, which he joined in 2021.
Five players from the 15-player roster at the 2023 European Championships in Split are missing: Marko Petkovic (Strasbourg), the captain in the last season, goalkeeper Dejan Lazovic (Marseille), Savona’s goal-getter Bogdan Djurdjic, Luka Murisic, and Jovan Vujovic.
Petkovic has retired from the national team. He was born in Belgrade and, after gaining Montenegrin citizenship, played for Montenegro between 2019 and 2022.
Bogdan Djurdjic is absent for personal reasons. It is yet to be decided if Lazovic will play for Montenegro in the future, Gojkovic said.
Uros Cuckovic, who was absent due to an injury in Split, is back on the team.
Montenegro will host Serbia, Spain, Greece, Australia and Georgia in Group B in Podgorica. The home team will open the tournament with a match against Georgia on March 8.
During the preparations, Montenegro trained with Australia in Kotor, and played one official match in Budva. Montenegro recorded a 15:11 win in the friendly in Budva.
Montenegro’s roster for Group B of the World Cup Division 1 in Podgorica
Golakeepers: Petar Tesanovic (Brescia), Darko Djurovic (Jadran Herceg Novi), Lazar Andric (Montpellier)
Field players: Aljosa Macic (Primorac), Djuro Radovic (Jadran HN), Kanstantsin Averka (Sabadell), Uros Cuckovic (Marseille), Vlado Popadic (Strasbourg), Aleksa Ukropina (Radnicki), Danilo Radovic (Jadran HN), Miroslav Perkovic (Novi Beograd), Vladan Spaic (Marseille), Dusan Matkovic (Barceloneta), Vasilije Radovic (Jadran HN), Stefan Vidovic (Ortigia), Dusan Banicevic (Sabadell), Savo Cetkovic (Novi Beograd), Marko Mrsic (Primorac).
Follow the results and statistics of the World Cup Division 1 on Total Waterpolo Arena
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