On Wednesday, April 29, the first matches of the semi-final playoff series of the Serbian Super League for water polo players will be played, and Radnički and Crvena Zvezda, or Šabac Elixir and Novi Beograd Tehnomania, will meet.
The second leg matches in the play-offs for fifth to eighth place, as well as the second match for ninth and eleventh place, are scheduled for the same day.
Radnicki is the favorite against Red Star, but the young water polo player from Kragujevac, Samuil Ivanov, expects a tough duel.
– We expect an extremely tough match. They performed very well in the previous match in Kragujevac, which we did not enter properly. It is clear that we should not underestimate them, especially when they have nothing to lose, like now. They are relieved, they will give their maximum and will not give up – said Samuil Ivanov , one of the youngest players in the Radnički squad.
– I hope that this time we will enter the match with Red Star with maximum seriousness from the first minute. This semi-final series is also a good test for us for the rematch with Marseille and we will use it to correct the mistakes from the first match and to play even better. We are the favorites and if we are focused, I don’t think we will have any major problems with Red Star – concluded Ivanov .
Red Star will be weakened in Kragujevac
– With the already very small number of players we have since mid-season, the participation of several sick players is uncertain. We will do our best to try to parry as much as we can at this moment and to make the semi-finals interesting. It is clear that Radnicki is the big favorite, but I am sure that the guys will fight as hard as they can and that they will sell their skin dearly – says Aleksandar Filipović, Red Star coach.
The big fight will be in Šabac, where Novi Beograd is playing.
– We have a problem with Novaković. He was injured against Nais and it is a question of playing until the end of the season. There is not much to say about Novi Beograd. The high level of their games in Europe shows that they deserve maximum respect. That is how we will behave. We are playing at home, we will have help from full stands and we want to use that advantage – says Šabac coach Nemanja Ličanin.
New Belgrade is optimistic ahead of this match, and the duel was announced by the experienced Filip Janković:
– Our expectations are the highest possible. We are fighting for the second domestic trophy of the season and in this first match we are going for a win. The fact is that we are playing in their pool, where the hosts are always unpleasant, but I think we have prepared well for this match. In order to triumph, we will have to respect and fulfill all the tasks, primarily in defense. Our attack works well, but it is the defense that brings the advantage. Team play is their greatest strength, but I believe that as participants in the final stage of the Champions League, we are a more quality team. We are not running away from the role of favorites, I think we are asking ourselves in this duel, but we have to show that in the pool as well .
Playoff from 1st to 4th place
Radnicki – Red Star (18.30 Radnicki, Milovic – Jovancevic, Ciric)
Sabac Elixir – Novi Beograd Tehnomania (20:00, Virijević – Raković, Korolija, Mišković)
Playoff from 5th to 8th place
Partizan – Zemun (19, Banjica, Sukic – Andjelic, Ivanovic)
Valis – Nais (19, Petnica, Beljin – Kish, Stefanovic)
Play for 9. and 10th place
Wolves – Vojvodina (21.15 “Vlaho Bata Orlic” Rakovic-Krstonosic and Ilic, Sukic)
Play for 11. and 12th place
Belgrade – Old Town (21.30 Tašmajdan, Đorđević – Jović, Kaprić)
