Partizan is home to Napredak on Sunday (4pm CET kick-off) as part of Mozzart Bet Serbian Super Liga round 16 fixtures.
H2H (last six)
Partizan 4, Napredak 1, Drawn 1. Gd: 8-4, Partizan.
TEAM NEWS
Ghayas Zahid picked up ACL injury during the game against Radnicki 1923 just before international break and he will be sidelined for a lengthy period of time as a result. Djordje Jovanovic (adductor) is another casualty but he might return to the field before winter break.
Partizan boss Savo Milosevic spoke to the media ahead of Napredak home encounter:
“Our focus during international break was on a Napredak game. This match will be as tough as all the others we played so far. Napredak is always a tough opposition to us, always motivated to play against us. Apart from Zahid and Djordje Jovanovic, we can count on all the other players for this one.
It`s getting cold outside and it`s better that way, it will make players run more. Weather conditions are something we have to live with; they are different throughout the year. At this time of the year, temperatures are always low, not going over 10 degrees Celsius, and we have to adapt to it.
During my previous coaching spell at Partizan, on my coaching debut, I suffered a defeat to Napredak but I learned from it and it helped me realize what condition the team was in. You learn more from the defeats. Sometimes I wish we lose so the players can learn the lesson. All the games we played against Napredak were suspenseful encounters.
We will try to adapt without Zahid and Djordje Jovanovic as we are short of such type of players. Napredak is a good side and I`m sure they be fully motivated on Sunday. I also know criticism of their President helped them pick up.
I only think about next game in line. So far so good and we need to keep going like this. We have no reason to make changes now as we are in a good position and the team is not going down in form. I don`t want to think we are much better now. Few bad results could bring us down and every game is like a qualifier for us.
I`m impressed with youngsters who trained with us during the international break. Alilovic, Petrovic and Dusan Jovanovic will remain with seniors and two more youths will join us too. Three players mentioned deserve to be here and they are already used to training with senior players, I have no problem putting them on for 15 or 20 minutes in the league game.
Winning mentality is what you have in you, regardless of the problems club faces. This mentality builds from the age of 10 or 11. Natcho is an example as he shows how you should behave on the field, not just by doing the talking. I was a foreign player for 13 years and apart from your playing qualities, you should be there to set an example to others. That should be our parameter here”.
