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Babic's Meshkov shaken by a league defeat against SKA

Vardar coach Zoran Kastratovic announced lots of rotation. They played a league match in Minsk and got back on the road to Meshkov, a team they've already played twice in pre-season (33-24, 28-28)

It's not coming up roses for Zeljko Babic in Belarus. Slavko Goluza's assistant for the Croatian National team came to Meshkov this summer and with him came a number of Croatian players (Srsen, Pesic, Spiler etc.), but they're haven't been looking well or convincing. Injuries to key players are part of the reason, and today's game comes at the wrong moment.

The other day they played the opening game in the Belarusian League, losing at home to SKA. They're playing Vardar today, Dinamo Minsk on the 3rd of October (in the domestic league) and then Zagreb on the 6th. This is a destructive rhythm for a team lacking confidence and proper form.

- The atmosphere isn't the best after our defeat against SKA, but some of it can be put down to injuries. Milicevic signed the contract and was injured in training soon afterwards. Markotic has been complaining about his knee, David Spiler is having problems with his shoulder, and add to this Atajevas and Baranov's injuries. It's difficult to make a line-up out of an incomplete squad - said coach Babic.

- In training we only had two players capable of playing in the middle of defence, Srsen and Karacis. If Karacic plays poorly against SKA, who am I supposed to replace him with?

SKA aren't as strong as last season when they won the Challenge and when they used to beat Meshkov. at the beginning of the season, they lost 32-22 at home to Minsk. Babic admitted they were never going to win with the team they had:

- Our defence was poor, the approach wasn't right.

Babic put Vardar in the role of the favourite. They played together during summer.

- We're weaker than we were back then, and you already know the reasons why. They're more solid in the defence, but we have to play to win.

Right wing Baranov (replaced by Djukic) and left back Atajevas (Spiler might replace him) are definitely out, but other absences weren't confirmed.

One of the best players against SKA, Ljubo Vukic, said in his pre-match interview:

- It's going to be difficult, Vardar are a serious opponent. I hope that our experience with SKA has enlightened us, we were shown how not to play. Sometimes it's important to have moments like these. I hope we fight well.

On Thursday, Vardar lost away to Dinamo Minsk 26-24 in a league match and got back on the road to Meshkov. Their next league match is scheduled for 13th October at home to PSG, and they're playing in the SEHA league against Vojvodina and Nexe the week after that. There's no reason to rest the team, then. Kastratovic might use the same team he picked to play against Dinamo.

- There are many games ahead and all my players are going to get a chance. Malumbres and Angelov will man the goal - said Vardar's coach.

This is different from when they played Minsk since Strahinja Milic defended throughout the match, and Malumbres only did the 7 meter throws. But this isn't a change for the worse, seeing as Malumbres was one of the heroes in the draw against Barcelona.

- I'd like us to play well in the defence, wisely and with no rushing in the offence.

In the pre-season head-to-heads, Vardar won 33-24 at the tournament in Struga, and the tournament they played in the same arena which will be used today ended at 28-28.

I can not agree with appointed handicaps. Vardar is better team at this point that's not questionable. On the other hand they will surely rotate a lot , they come after match against Minsk and they are not pressured as much as Brest are. The Belarus team were defeated in the domestic league by weak SKA, the situation in the club is very turbulent, coach Babic is under a lot of pressure and players need to redeem themselves before upcoming derby against Dinamo Minsk. That match will be much more important for them than this one for sure but if they continue with their bad performances today that can only deepen their crisis. They badly need to play a good game even if that ends up in a defeat. They played against Vardar in pre-season and at home court they got a draw 28-28 and lost by 9 goals margin in Macedonia. Even if quality and performance are not their main strength at this point they certainly don't lack the motivation and they are certainly aware of importance of this match. I believe they will show their quality and that their defeat won't be persuasive.