Excitement Builds for First Bokeljski Derby of the Season

The first Bokeljski derby of the season takes place on October 7, 2023, at 20:00 at the Škver pool in Kotor. Jadran MTEL hosts their biggest rival, Primorac, in the sixth round of the Premier Regional League in water polo. Currently, Jadran leads the league with a total of five points, having recently secured a crucial victory against Novi Beograd in the Champions League, finishing 12-11. This win is particularly significant following their earlier defeat to Šabac, where they lost 12-10.

Strahinja Gojkovic, head coach of Jadran MTEL, emphasized the importance of this match. “The game against Primorac is very important, and we expect it to be extremely tough. We want three points to solidify our position among the top four teams in the standings,” he stated. The derby is renowned for its intensity and the fierce rivalry between the two clubs, making it a highly anticipated event for fans and players alike.

On the other side, Stefan Vidovic, a former Montenegrin national team player and now a member of Primorac, expressed his excitement about participating in the derby. “The Bokeljski derby is one of the most enjoyable matches to play, and I am thrilled to be part of it again,” he remarked.

Jadran has recorded four wins in the Premier League, two of which came after penalty shootouts. However, their recent loss to Šabac allowed the team from western Serbia to leapfrog them in the league standings. Currently, Jadran sits in third place, tied on points with Radnički. Gojkovic acknowledged the need to learn from their previous mistakes. “We stumbled against Šabac in the last round. Such mistakes cannot happen again. I urge all our supporters to come and cheer us on,” he added.

Primorac, on the other hand, is facing a challenging moment, having lost three consecutive matches. They fell to Oradea (14-7) and Ferencváros (26-15) in the Champions League, and also lost to Radnički (13-7) in the Premier League. With one point less than Jadran and Radnički, the pressure is on for Primorac to turn their fortunes around.

Vidovic noted the difficulty of upcoming fixtures, stating, “We are in a series of tough away games, as we will face Brescia in Italy after this match. Jadran is playing very well this season, having defeated several strong teams, so we are expecting an exceptionally tough match. We have tried to prepare ourselves as much as possible for the derby and hope for a favorable result.”

As the teams prepare for this exhilarating encounter, fans can anticipate an electrifying atmosphere at the Škver pool, where the battle for local supremacy will unfold. The stakes are high, and both teams will be eager to secure vital points in the league standings.