Transfer news

The football team signed Bulgarian defender Ivan Bandalovski. The 29-year-old player, who appeared 12 times so far in the Bulgarian national team is to substitute the injured Vulićević.

(photo: partizan.rs)

Bandalovski came to Partizan as a free agent (some rumours say he has been searching for a team for half a year). He signed a 1,5-year contract with the team.

***

As for the others: Danko Lazović left Partizan. He got an offer from China which he accepted. From the Turkey training camp he immediately travelled to Asia.
Danilo Pantić is also sold out. The young midfielder was bought by Chelsea, that immediately put Pantić on loan to Dutch team Vitesse. (Rumours speak about 900 000 euros, that was neither confirmed, nor confuted.)

***

The presidental armchair has not even got warm under the new leadership, but mud-throwing has been started. Milorad Vuličević made his harsh point of view public in mozzartsport.com claiming he did not understand why Marko Nikolić was so upset (the trainer made no secret - also to mozzartsport - about his disappointment after the preparational matches didn’t bring the desired result, to say the least), because the team leadership did not sell any player (sic!!!), what is more, according to the wishes of the head coach they refused to accept the almost 3 million euro offer of Lille for Škuletić as well as Anderlecht and their similarly rich request for Ćirković.

As a top of it all, Vuličević speaks harshly about Pantić, too. I’ll be honest now: I seriously don’t get why he thinks a 18-year-old kid can make a mature, serious decision in a situation that would test even an experienced, older player who has been to many foreign teams.

VK Partizan - Primorje 7:11 (Champions League)

It's so great (NOT!) to find out in the last minutes of the 4th quarter that RTS 2 broadcasted the match despite all... At that point it didn't matter much anyway... There was one Primorje-goal that looked like a goal from only one angle, but the referees still validated it. There was a Partizan-goal, too, which seemed to be a real goal from every angle, but referees still invalidated it. There was also a penalty for the Croatian team, no one knows why that was given to them.
The hero of the day was Gavril Subotić, scoring 3 of Partizan’s 7 goals. Mandić, Gogov, Manojlović and Stojanović each scored a goal. Based on the review of zurnal.rs Partizan was fighting like a lion, doing their best (and even more) for victory, but Croatians were stronger than them.
You’re still our heroes.

OK Vojvodina - OK Partizan 0:3

Yes. We are undefeated for the 13th time now.
The Marko Nikolić-Milija Mrdak axis brought their best form, scoring 18 points (with 3 aces) and 13, respectively. We won the first game to 22:25, the second to 21:25 and the third one's result was again 22:25.

OK Vojvodina: Simić (11), Kolarić, Bojičić (1), Č. Stanković (4), Nadaždin (12), Katić (10), Jovanović (1), Peković (libero), Mehić, Radović, Petković, M. Stanković (7)
Head coach: Strahinja Kozić

OK Partizan: Buša, Ivković, Nedeljković, Zugić, Lopar (5), Kostić (1), Dragić, Mrdak (13), Majstorović (10), Rajković (libero), Jokanović, Mijailović, Veličković, P. Nikolić (10), M. Nikolić (18), Popović
Head coach: Vladimir Vasović

KK Partizan - Igokea 74:65 (Adriatic League)

Pionir Hall was fully crowded, with 7000 screaming, jumping, singing holy madmen.

Again it was like at previous matches, the guest team threw a basket. Just one. Then we took control into our hands and didn’t let them even take a breath. (Just we didn’t want to appear as unpolite hosts.)

Duško Vujošević and the Red Carnage (Punk)Revolution

(photo: Facebook/Гробари ЈУГ!!!)

First things first. Milutinov equalized at 0:2 with a fantastic teamwork. We made it to 10:6, then Milosavljević scored the first 3-pointer of the match. The standing changed to 16:8, Gagić raised it to two-digit, scoring while falling on the floor, with numerous guest players hanging on him (18:10). We ended the quarter with 21:13, Andrić threw a 3-pointer before the buzz.

Dragan Milosavljević during a pause

(photo: Twitter)

After the start of the second quarter Igokea tried to pick themselves together (21:15, then 21:17), but then came Gagić, the Destroying Force and the counter switched to 23:17. Then again him, now from free throw (25:19), and with the Captain’s 3-pointer it was 28:19.

(kép: Facebook/KK Partizan)

At this point the pace slowed down a bit. Igokea demonstrated less and less power, while we were just doing our job. Marinković settled back the two-digit difference (30:19), Igokea’s answer was a 2:8 series (32:26). At 32:28 Partizan got a free throw. Milutinov stood at the paint, he scored from the first throw, but the second fell down from the ring. Mačvan was sneaking there, he swooped the ball and threw it mercilessly (35:28). Milutinov made a giant block, then Murić set the half-time result with a great 3-pointer as well as the two-digit difference (38:28).

During the half-time children were playing on the parquet

 

(photos: Twitter)

The second half started with Mačvan’s troll basket at 38:30. All players were crowding under Igokea’s backboard, the ball was about to drop out of the playing field, when a guest player saved it with a brilliant movement, throwing himself for the ball. He threw it back to the field (while he himself was sliding away on the floor towards the tribunes, the cleaning staff had quite a work to do afterwards). Mačvan just reached out, caught the ball and threw it to Igokea’s ring. 40:30

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The game was going on then with a medium pace, a basket here, a basket there, keeping our advantage. The standing was 52:43, when Marinković made a magnificent block in a seemingly lost situation.

Milosavljević re-settled the 10-point difference (54:43). Igokea’s trainer got a technical foul after complaining against the referees’ judgement. Afterwards they tried with two 3-pointers, but even that way we were on the lead. The standing was 57:49 before entering the final period.
The last quarter was opened by Dallo (59:49).

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

Igokea reduced the difference to 59:57 with a 8:0 series, but then Andrić got fed up with the fumbling and scored a 3-pointer (62:57). Igokea was still speeding up, it was 62:61, it would have been a very bad joke to bleed to death here, in the fourth quarter. At 64:63 both Murić and Mačvan scored a 3-pointer, saving lives (70:63). Partizan had two scores left, while Igokea made only one during the time remained. (74:65).

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

The ecstasy of 7000 people condensed into 15 minutes. A must-see.

Update: it might have been the last match for Luka Bogdanović wearing Partizan’s jersey. The player got an offer from a Spanish club that he allegedly accepted. (Some sources say he made an "open" contract with Partizan that he can transfer any time he gets an offer from a foreign team.)

Video of the day - the three musketeers

No further comment is needed.


Sujet Inside Partizan Belgrade avec Lauvergne Westermann et Dallo from Nicolas Midavaine on Vimeo.

Photo of the day - co-incidences don't exist

This photo was taken at the basketball world championship qualifying draws. Léo Westermann, co-incidentally or not, drew Serbia from the hat. This was his first reaction.

(photo: Twitter)

 

 

Jadran ST - VK Partizan 10:11 (Triglav League)

As they say, in the first half of the match we demonstrated how to play water polo. Then in the second half we demonstrated how not to.

Quoting the witty remark of a fellow Partizan-fan: it could have been with more goals, but we didn’t want to trash the opponent.
We do have heart.

The start was phenomenal. We got the ball at first and immediately scored, with Gilen’s distant shot (0:1). Macedonians equalized, but Gogov shot us back on the lead from a counter-attack. He dribbled himself alone to the opponents goalmouth, a defender desperately tried to catch him, but he was behind the player of Partizan with at least half meter (1:2). Rističević saved everything, rolling down the shutters. Nobody could score to him, not even giving him a nasty look. Not even when the opponent was in power play.
We scored from another counter-attack with Radojević’s shot (1:3). Soon before the end of the first quarter he threw another goal, we could enter the next period with 1:4.
The second quarter was even better than the first. Jadran tried with an attack, but we again got the ball, started a counter-attack and Andrejević scored (1:5). Another counter-attack, another Gogov-goal (1:6). At this point the home team also scored (2:6), our reply was Radojević (2:7). The Macedonian team took advantage of a power play (3:7), later Andrejević did so, too (3:8). Right before the end of the first half Rističević had another giant save while the opponent was in power play.
We had a five-goal advantage. And then, after the break we showed how to waste this advantage and how to sweat blood for the victory.

For the team’s defense: key players got a day off for today. Mandić and Subotić played yesterday for the Serbian national team against Russia, before that they humiliated Galatasaray. So now we had to send those players into battle who had less routine.

Jadran scored two quick goals (5:8), as for us, we could show off only with Gilen’s shot (5:9). Both teams missed out a lot of chances. At the end of the period the home team scored another goal (6:9), from our side Lazić threw one just before the end buzz (6:10).
The last quarter brought a similar amount of missed chances, and it paid off, as it did a zillion times before. Jadran reduced their difference to only 3 goals, when Stojanović threw a score (7:11). At this point we were done. I still suggest though to engild the hands of Rističević, we can thank him and his excellence (among others) that we could finally win this match.

Andrea Arsović is the best

Andrea Arsović, athlete of Partizan’s shooter club (Streljački Klub Partizan) earned the "Athlete of the Year 2014" title by the voting of the Serbian Shooter Association.
Arsović won the Serbian Cup last year as well as a silver medal at the European Championship in Moscow. She finished at the 5th place at the World Championship in Granada which she qualified with to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

(photo: hotsport.rs)

 

 

HK Partizan - Szegedi Tisza Volán 8:5

May God smash all those in the face with an XXL-sized thunder who give no shit to the Serbian ice hockey championship, that I had to dig again to the darkest depths of internet to find the result and the details of this match. It’s especially shameful that even the home page of the Serbian Ice Hockey Association barely contains match details (in general).
For God’s sake, if you re-started the ice hockey league, at least do it in style! Respect the players (and fans) enough to report about every match! (And not 2 weeks later, but immediately.)

What I could still find out: the first goal was scored in the 11th minute by Szeged, but their hegemony ended at this point. Brkušanin equalized in power play in the 17th minute (1:1), three minutes later Janković scored and we were leading (2:1), and the Steam Roller overrode Tisza Volán. Milovanović (3:1, 23rd minute, power play), Brkušanin again (4:1, 25th minute). The 35th minute brought another Szeged goal (4:2), but they were in power play. Aleksa Luković’s answer came in the 44th minute (5:2, power play), Brkušanin made a hat-trick (6:2, 46th minute). Here happened two Szeged goals in the 50th and the 53th minute (the latter one came from power play by Szeged). Then 3 minutes later Szeged was still in power play, but Milovanović scored (7:4), then again, 2 minutes later, because it’s better to be safe than sorry (8:4). In the last minutes Szeged scored another goal, but it didn’t have any effect on the fact that WE WON.

Championship standings*
1. Beostar 17 points
2. HK Partizan 10 points
3. Szegedi Tisza Volán 10 points
4. CZ 3 points
5. HK Vitez 2 points
6. Novi Sad 0 point

* Hard to say after how many rounds, because there are teams that played 7 matches and those who played only 1.

The boys hit the road for the winter training camp in Turkey (photos + video)

Seeing Kojić smirking in the background anyone would make a suspicious face, not just Ninković

Pantić was travelling with the team despite there have been rumours about him and a possible transfer to Chelsea

Babović is excited, Lukač is rather sleepy

The "stuff" they need for trainings: balls, etc.

The "kids" - Lukić and Bogosavac

Technical staff with the forever young Zvonko Varga in the middle

For Škuletić it’s still too early o’clock

Photo of the day: "Contrasts in the existence of standing in a line" - Živković’s wide grin and Petrović’s priceless expression

(I’ve been laughing hard on this photo for quite a while)

(Photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan)

Update: they arrived in Turkey, there’s a video about it, too

Update 2: photos, just for you. (Source: partizan.rs)

Still at the airport: Volkov is explaining something to the others

Lukić, Šaponjić and Brašanac

Nemanja Kojić

Determination in the eyes (Bogosavac, Stevanović and Živković)

Duty free shops seem to be very popular among players (Babović, Lazović and Šaponjić)

Goalkeeper of goalkeepers

Joyous spirit on the way to the first training

Let’s stop for a moment and shed a teardrop for these poor boys who have to train hard and sweat hard among palm trees at the beach

(yes, this was supposed to be a joke from me - my bad)

Even the power training can’t wash the huge grin off from Brašanac’s face

VK Partizan - Galatasaray 10:7 (Champions League)

After the basketball game Average Fan quickly switches to RTS 2

"quickly switches", as if it was just a click with the remote control... in reality it was a desperate search for stream link

to see the waterpolo team being in trouble up to the hilt.

The atmosphere was unbelievable. Crowded house at the Banjica pool, singing and cheering fans with flags all over

But let's see what happened from the beginning.

It was one of those very rare moments when politicians (!) showed up at a Partizan (!!!) match. On the right, with blue shirt and glasses Nebojša Stefanović Serbian minister of home affairs, in grey sweatshirt Vanja Udovčić, former water polo player, now Serbia’s minister of youth and sports

The first quarter was great. Mandić scored a goal, that was the final result of the period as well. Then in the second one Turks decided to re-play the 1389 battle. They were leading to 3:4 in the half-time, and when the basketball match finished (and a working stream popped up, too) the standing was 3:5. Then immediately 3:6. We reduced the difference (4:6), but Turks quickly scored another (4:7).

Match action: Mandić in the heat of a fight

Slow and thorough drowning of a Partizan player in Turkish style

Vladimir Vujasinović

This was that moment when Average Fan starts to think of a nice, moving (and Turk-mocking) blogpost about a lost match, but I should have learned long ago that Partizan is famous for their great resurrections as well as for Parni valjak, the steam roller, when the team shakes themselves back to life bulldozing the opponent like a snow-plough cutting loose.
Stojanović started it. He came, he saw and tore Galatasaray’s net to pieces (5:7). Not much later arrived Gavril Subotić, and from then on our difference was only one goal. (6:7)
Then Mandić equalized with a fantastic shot (7:7).

We must definitely mention Dimitrije Rističević, too, who made wonders at this match, saving everything possible, and even some among the impossible as well.

Jakšić and Subotić blocking a Turkish attack

Gilen took us on the lead. Even RTS 2’s commentator was screaming from ecstasy (and the best was just about to come).

Mandić scored from penalty (9:7) and the coup d’etat was done by Subotić with the world’s perkiest troll goal.

Match highlights:

Then it was high time for a totally deserved celebration.

Finally, just for you, only here, only now, an 11-minute-long, massive ecstasy.

(Photos: Facebook/Vaterpolo klub Partizan Raiffeisen)

Video!!! Grupa JNA - Dajte gol

Ladies and gentlemen,
POGO ON!!!!

Additionally:

THIS photo. Duško Vujošević with Grupa JNA.

(photo: Facebook/KK Partizan)

KK Metalac Farmakom - KK Partizan 72:83 (Adriatic League)

This match was the return of Edo Murić, he couldn’t do it with more style.
We ran out to the parquet and took the lead to 0:7.
Then on 2:11.
The Valjevo team picked themselves together a bit and made it to 9:11. Then Mačvan and Pavlović settled back World Peace (9:18).
At this point entered Edo Murić, with tapes on his shoulder. He ran to the ground (with great ovation by Grave Diggers), Gagić performed a brutal block, Murić got the ball, he thanked and did the Slam Dunk of the Year.

Afterwards, at 17:22 he scored a great 3-pointer, from God knows how many metres. It must be spread as an instructional DVD. Now. With this result (17:25) we entered the second quarter.
Murić did his job (17:27). We kept the double digit difference: 21:32, with Milosavljević’s fantastic 3-pointer, then 22:36 by Milutinov, with Mačvan’s assist. This latter one also threw a basket (26:38) with great teamwork by Andrić.
At 28:41 Metalac reduced the difference with 5 points (33:41), then at 33:44 arrived the Destroying Force, aka Đorđe Gagić.

This Gagić-show came after a wrestling scene with players and trainers yelling with the referees and it was followed by yelling again, because Murić got a technical foul. If the slow motion replay showed it correctly, he was fouled for a (one) block. You get what I mean. His blocking was too drastic. That Murić, who is this typical nice boy from the neighbourhood, that is too nice to do even an undrastic movement (not mentioning a drastic one). Nevertheless he got a technical foul, Metalac scored from free throw that followed (38:44). The half time result was 38:45, Tepić adjusted the standing a bit before the break.
In the third quarter hell broke loose slowly but surely. Partizan players were fouled one by one, there was even a technical one among them. As a result, Metalac switched the standing, they were leading to 51:50. Mačvan set it back (51:52), so did Metalac (53:52), then Pavlović thought it was enough (52:54), then after Milosavljević’s basket (52:56) Pavlović was fouled for a block. The opponent reduced the difference step by step, then equalized (58:58) and even scored themselves to the leading position (60:58). Milutinov equalized with a dunk.

The result of the quarter was 60:63.

In the last period we made the difference to 60:67 and from then on we kept our advantage. Metalac was behind us sometimes with just 1-2 points. In the meantime Murić was fouled out, Gagić got a smash on his face that he fell on the floor, a basket by Pavlović turned out to be invalid, but we could still keep the difference. We even made a 4:13 series at the end, the last basket was scored by the Captain.

Match highlights:

League standings after 18 rounds:
1. CZ 34 points*
2. Budućnost Podgorica 33 points
3. Cedevita 30 points
4. Partizan 29 points
5. Union Olimpija 27 points
6. Cibona 27 points
7. Krka 26 points
8. Szolnoki Olaj 26 points
9. Metalac 26 points
10. Mega Leks 25 points
11. Zadar 24 points
12. MZT Skopje 24 points
13. Igokea 23 points
14. Levszki Szófia 18 points*

Teams marked with * played only 17 matches so far.

Throw of the day

Presented by Jan Vesely.

Photo of the day - Ne ljuti se

(Aka "Mensch, ärgere dich nicht", but I like the Serbian name more.)

or
How to spend free time in the training camp?
Comedy in one act.
Cast: Vojislav Stanković, Nikola Ninković, Saša Ilić and Petar Grbić.

(photo: Twitter)

OK Partizan - OK Novi Pazar 3:0

We’ve been undefeated for the 12th match now. It’s something absolutely unique in the volleyball team’s history.
Novi Pazar tried to keep things under control, at the beginning they were on the lead, being ahead of us with 2-3 points. The truth is, they couldn’t keep things in hand and with numerous faults and mistakes they lost the first set. The result was 25:22.
Then it was time for us to show who’s the boss. Mrdak turned on his usual crushing form (he scored 21 ponts on this match) joined by the Mijailović-Kostić duo and we quickly made our way to 14:9.

Match action: Mijailović smashes while Novi Pazar players try to block him

(photo: zurnal.rs)

We were ahead to 23:18 when the guest team reduced the difference with 2 points. Then came Mrdak again and mercilessly crashed the lines of Novi Pazar. We won the second game to 25:21.
Guests picked themselves together for the last set and made it to 0:3. But Partizan started up the Steam Roller, at 18:9 the only question left was to win with 10 points or keep ourselves to the one-digit difference. The end result of the set was 25:15, and Partizan is leading the league table after 12 played games with 33 points, having 6 points of advantage ahead of Crvena Zvezda, that stays at the second place.

Photos from the winter preparations

The boys were sent off to Košutnjak to run. (Before anyone gets a heart attack that they had to run straight from Zemun: they were all taken there by bus.)

Ready to kickstart the Steam Roller: Gribć and Babović

Yes, Stanković is still here preparing with the team

So is Volkov...

...Šaponjić arriving behind him can confirm it

Nemanja Kojić

The Captain: Saša Ilić

Brašanac has this wide grin on his face even while running behind Pantić

"Let’s speed up or else we’ll miss breakfast"

Team Živković, doing their best

Petar Škuletić with Mirosla Bogosavac

The prize: many bottles of mineral water

It gives extra spirit to Ninković

Post-running power walk á la Drinčić

Always listen to what experienced players say: Saša Ilić giving tips to Pantić and Brašanac

There are some for whom even this long run couldn’t turn down high spirit

Stretching and crackling joints

Lazović and Branko Ilić stretching

A bunch of youngsters: Marinković, Pantić, Lukić and Šaponjić

Džigi always gets to find a photogenic pose

Photos: Facebook/Fudbalski klub Partizan