Paunovic Before Netherlands: Lucic Out, Tadic Returns

The first question at the press conference had not even reached the Netherlands bench yet. Veljko Paunovic sat down, with captain Dusan Tadic beside him, and the coach immediately opened with the team’s medical bulletin ahead of Sunday’s match against the Netherlands.

“We had a bit of bad luck in training, Lucic sprained his ankle, we will see how he is,” Paunovic said at the start, adding that the squad is now in the final stage of its preparations.

“We are in the recovery process. We have a few standard things to deal with, we still have an afternoon training session ahead and 24 hours until the match, where everything will be decided.”

The coach made clear that only Saturday’s afternoon training, a day before the game, would show how the national team is really doing and which of the injured players will be ready for Sunday.

What comes after the loss to Greece

Serbia went into the second round of the Nations League with a bitter taste. In the opening round, at the same Rajko Mitic stadium, the Eagles took the lead against Greece but ended up losing 1-2, leaving them without a point at the start of a group that also includes hosts Netherlands and Germany. Our earlier report on that match also covered Duvikas’ goal, which decided the contest in the 95th minute.

Tadic summed up that defeat without sugarcoating it.

“We started well, but after conceding we gave up the initiative,” said the captain, who returned to the national team just ahead of this match.

The player currently turns out for the Dutch club NEC and has also worn the shirts of Ajax, Groningen and Twente during his career, so he knows the opponent Serbia will face on Sunday at 6 p.m. well.

“I know a lot of the players, I’ve played with 50 to 60 percent of their national team,” Tadic said, adding that he is confident Paunovic’s coaching staff already has everything under control when it comes to scouting the Netherlands.

Does Serbia have an answer for the Netherlands?

The coach described in detail where he sees the biggest danger coming from a rival that finished the opening round with a draw against Germany.

“The Netherlands have technical and physical quality. They are very focused on transitions, in the moments right after they lose the ball or win it back,” Paunovic warned, adding that Serbia must be precise and patient whenever it has the ball.

That, he said, is exactly why this match is a chance for the team to channel its frustration after the disappointment of the opening round.

“We have to be aware that this is a testing ground, that we have to go through a trial by fire.”

Asked about Luka Jovic, who failed to score against Greece, Paunovic did not hide his confidence in a striker he has followed since the younger national teams.

“Goalscorers live for those moments when they go on a run, when everyone celebrates their goals and says what a class player he is. Luka is undeniably all of that.”

The coach also mentioned Srdjan Babic as a player who could get more room in defense with Nikola Milenkovic unavailable, saying the defender approaches every opportunity he gets professionally.

When a question came up about Serbia’s trademark stubbornness, Paunovic went a step beyond tactics.

“You know our people’s history yourselves: when we are cast out and everyone gives up on us, we come back.”

That sentence seemed to double as a message to the squad ahead of Sunday evening. Serbia is without points after the first round, but hosting the Netherlands gives it an immediate chance to put that right. Saturday afternoon’s training will show how much Paunovic can count on Lucic, and the answer to everything else arrives Sunday at 6 p.m. at Marakana.