RK Borac m completed their final training session in Thessaloniki ahead of their away match against Greek side PAOK in the first leg of the second round of the EHF European Cup.
Borac head coach Mirko Mikić said the atmosphere within the squad was positive, with players highly motivated and eager to return to competitive action, particularly on the European stage.
Borac determined to secure a favorable result
“The team has trained well over the past few days, and the players are very motivated, which makes me happy. We are eagerly awaiting this match. We have missed competitive games, especially European fixtures,” Mikić said following the training session.
He emphasized the importance of achieving a favorable result in Greece ahead of the return leg in Banja Luka.
“The atmosphere is good, and we are all determined to perform as well as possible and build an advantage that would give us a real chance in the return match, hopefully in front of a packed Borik Sports Hall, where we want to make our supporters proud,” he added.
Speed and counterattacks could be key against PAOK
Mikić believes that Borac’s best opportunity against the experienced Greek team may lie in playing fast-paced handball and exploiting transitional phases of the game.
He acknowledged that PAOK have an older and more experienced squad but insisted that every opponent has weaknesses that can be exploited.
“Every team has weaknesses. When you study and analyze an opponent carefully, you can identify areas where they are vulnerable. I would rather not discuss those details now. We will see how effectively we can exploit them during the match,” Mikić explained.
The Borac coach stressed that his players must focus on speed and attacking efficiency.
“What I know is that they are considerably more experienced and older than us. We must try to play quickly and make the most of transition opportunities,” he said.
“We will attempt to shorten our attacking possessions, play aggressively in transition and use counterattacks to create opportunities to score as many goals as possible,” Mikić concluded.
Match scheduled for 5 PM
The EHF European Cup second-round encounter between PAOK and Borac m is scheduled to begin at 5 PM in Thessaloniki.
Borac will be looking for a positive away result to strengthen their chances of progressing when the two teams meet again in Banja Luka.
Source: RTRS
