Attention to Key Details Before the Crucial Montenegro Match

The Turkish National Team will face Montenegro today at the Samsun Yeni 19 Mayıs Stadium in the third match of Group 4 in the UEFA Nations League B. With 4 points from 2 matches and currently sitting at the top of the group on goal difference, the Ay-Yıldızlılar aim to secure 3 points with the support of their fans. Montenegrin football journalists, closely monitoring the performance of both teams, shared special insights before this challenging encounter.

Having started their UEFA Nations League journey with a 0-0 draw against Wales, the Turkish team went on to defeat Iceland 3-1 in their second match, securing their place at the top of the group. Despite Montenegro leaving both matches without points, they have shown resilience, and the Turkish team, under Montella’s guidance, is focused on securing victory. Montenegrin journalists expressed their thoughts on the leadership race involving the Turkish team against Wales and Iceland ahead of the match.

UROŠ RADULOVIĆ (TV NOVA MONTENEGRO):
“DESPITE THE LOSSES IN THE FIRST TWO MATCHES, PROSINECKI’S FAITH IN THE TEAM IS STRONG”
“The first two matches in the UEFA Nations League were also the first official matches for our new head coach Robert Prosinečki. I must say that the coach has faced difficulties in terms of squad selection during this period. Stefan Savic, Marko Jankovic, Marko Vesovic, Edvin Kuc, and Vasilije Adzic are all absent due to injuries. We lost 2-0 to Iceland in the first match, conceding goals from corners, and everyone knew that Iceland’s strongest weapons were corners and free kicks. In the second match against Wales, we did not deserve the 2-1 loss. The first five minutes of the match were shocking, with the visitors leading 2-0, but Montenegro showed character and started to play very well. We created many clear opportunities, especially in the first half, and despite the loss, our fans applauded our players, which speaks volumes about our performance against Wales. The reality is, however, that we have 0 points, and results are everything in football. Robert Prosinečki is a football legend, and his name certainly elevates the reputation of the Montenegro team. He has achieved good results as a coach with Red Star, Kayserispor, and the Bosnian national team. He knows the mentality of the players very well. When he came to our national team, he stated that Montenegro would fight against everyone. Despite the losses in the first two matches, he has full faith in this team. Regarding the match against Turkey, he has already mentioned that Turkey is the best team in the group and that there will be a great atmosphere in Samsun.”

“STEFAN SAVIC’S INJURY WAS A HUGE BLOW FOR MONTENEGRO”
“Unfortunately, Stefan Savic’s injury was a huge blow for Montenegro. On the other hand, Jovetic, at 34 years old, is still undeniably our best player and is psychologically in good shape. He is also a fantastic player to watch. Adam Marusic is another high-level player. Marusic performed very well against Turkey three years ago in Istanbul and scored a goal. We also have a group of quality young players. Nikola Krstovic, Marko Jankovic, Driton Camaj, and Milutin Osmajic have all performed well in national colors.”

“VINCENZO MONTELLA HAS FURTHER DEVELOPED THE TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM”
“The results Montella has achieved show how good a move the Turkish Football Federation made. In EURO 2024, you played exceptionally against the Czech Republic and then Austria. The Austrians were performing well until they faced Turkey, which surprised me. You also had a great match against the Netherlands. Therefore, despite losing in the quarter-finals, I believe there is a fantastic atmosphere in the Turkish team. Montella has further developed the Turkish National Team and has given opportunities to young players. After a few years, talents like Arda Guler and Kenan Yıldız have brought momentum to the team. There is also Hakan Calhanoglu, who has proven himself as a world-class player, and Kerem Akturkoglu, who is having the season of his life at Benfica. Additionally, I also like Yunus Akgün and Orkun Kokcu. There are fantastic players playing in great teams in Turkey. The Turkish fans are truly at an incredible level. The Turkish people are a passionate nation and love football immensely. I am sure that the Turkish players will ride the wave of their fans during the Montenegro match. I expect a large number of fans to attend the stadium.”

“I MUST SAY THAT TURKEY IS THE FAVORITE BASED ON FORM”

In 2021, a fantastic match was played between Turkey and Montenegro in Istanbul. Everyone will remember Risto Radunovic’s incredible free-kick goal in the last seconds. That was the goal of his career, and I believe he can repeat that in Samsun. Looking at the form and past results, I must say that Turkey, which performed well in EURO 2024, is the favorite. As I mentioned, we are struggling due to injuries, and we missed many goal-scoring opportunities against Wales. Therefore, I believe we deserve more than 0 points and that we will achieve better results in the upcoming matches.

ALEKSANDAR SEKULOVIĆ (GRADSKA TV):
“VINCENZO MONTELLA SHOULD SHOW PLAYERS OUR MATCH AGAINST WALES”
“Luck and circumstances were crucial in our first two matches in the UEFA Nations League. I should also mention that 8 of our players were not in the squad due to injuries. This might be the biggest issue. In the first match, we played better football than Iceland, but we conceded two goals due to unbelievable mistakes in injury time. In the tough match against Wales, we conceded 2 goals in the first 3 minutes. We then made it 1-2 but missed 5-6 chances that could have leveled the score. We played very well, especially in the second match, and outperformed Wales. I believe the Wales match is one that your coach should show the players so they take us seriously. By the way, we drew 2-2 with Turkey in Istanbul during the 2021 World Cup qualifiers, and Turkey has only managed one win against us in the last three matches. From a tactical standpoint, Montenegro is still in the phase of adapting to coach Robert Prosinecki’s system because Prosinecki plays attacking football with four defenders and two classic forwards (4-4-2), which allows the wings to contribute offensively. As a result, this formation sometimes looks like a 4-2-4 in attack. Previously, we played a tough style with a 5-3-2 formation that didn’t allow for much attacking play. I think the Nations League is a real preparation for the World Cup qualifiers we eagerly anticipate.”

“PROSINECKI’S PHILOSOPHY FITS OUR PLAYERS”
“Prosinecki started his Montenegro career with two victories (over Belarus and North Macedonia). He has brought new energy to the team, and his football philosophy fits our players. Prosinecki learned from some of the biggest names in world football and certainly knows how to motivate the team. I am happy that we are playing good football. Jovetic provides great assistance in attack. Marusic is now playing in a more offensive role at Lazio. The players enjoy playing forward, so we expect a good result from such a match.”

“THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE JOVETIC AND KRSTOVIC”
“We have 6-7 players injured again. We miss Jankovic the most in midfield, and his status is uncertain. Vesovic will also be absent on the wing, and the young Adzic from Juventus hasn’t recovered from his injury. Jovetic, along with captain Savić, is our key player. You may know Savić from Trabzon, but he is also injured. The main threats in this match will be Jovetic and Nikola Krstović, who plays for Lecce. Jovetic is a player who can decide the match on his own. So, I think these are the two players to pay the most attention to.”

“PLAYING IN FRONT OF TURKISH FANS IS NOT EASY”
“We all know how Turkish fans create an atmosphere. It is not easy to play in front of them. Additionally, the match will be played in Samsun, where fans do not get the chance to watch the national team often. Therefore, this match will be like a festival for the fans. The excellent results your team has achieved recently guarantee a packed stadium for this match. Sometimes a great atmosphere can also motivate the opposing players.”

“TURKEY IS A TEAM THAT PUSHES BOUNDARIES WHEN THEY BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES”
“If we consider Turkey’s results before Montella, we can clearly see his impact on the team. Montella has created a compact team that wants to play and believes in itself. He has brought in young players like Kenan Yıldız from Juventus and Arda Guler from Real Madrid, significantly changing the team. It seems that players enjoy playing under Montella, which we didn’t see in previous coaches’ eras. You can feel that positive energy in the team. Most importantly, the Turkish team believes in itself and in its ability to achieve something. Turkey is a team that pushes boundaries when they believe in themselves.”

“KENAN YILDIZ HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BEST TURKISH PLAYER IN HISTORY”
“I think Kenan Yıldız will be one of the best players in the world. He has the potential to be the best Turkish player in history. Arda Güler is not far behind him, and together they represent the future of Turkish football. Additionally, Hakan Calhanoglu is the leader of this team. Orkun Kokcu, a player I really admire, has been extraordinary at Feyenoord. Orkun continues to perform well at Benfica as well. But I must mention Kenan Yıldız again because he is a player I enjoy watching.”

“EVEN IF TURKEY IS A BETTER TEAM, WE CAN ACHIEVE THIS”
“If I hadn’t watched Turkey’s matches in the European Championship, I would say Montenegro could pull off a surprise. It’s not just because of the strength of the Turkish team, but also because we have lost a few of our best players, making this match very challenging. In any case, it will be an interesting match. Anything other than a loss would be a good result for us, but it would also be a surprise. I believe we can achieve this, even if the Turks are a better team and playing in front of their own fans.”