Branko Jovičić spoke to us ahead of the season's opener on Tuesday. We travel to Lithuania to face FK Sūduva in the Champions League First Qualifying Round.
"We played them last season too, so the experience should help us. They have improved their squad over the past year, so we must be ready for a challenge. We've been working ever so hard over the past month, but training camps don't count for much if we aren't ready to get out there and win matches."
Our tireless midfielder is hoping for a good result in the away leg od the Sūduva tie.
"It would be great if we could take control of the tie in the first leg and ensure a fuss-free return match at our place. It's up to us to dictate tempo and make sure we're on top from the start. If we aren't fully invested in the match, we could end up having problems. Suduva have many foreign players who will be hungry to impress."
Despite missing a few training sessions at Zlatibor early on, Jovičić is looking fit and raring to go.
"I've had a fever and had to be still for a few days. It wasn't great, but I've pushed on since and I think I've done enough training in Austria to be in shape for the big kick-off. We all can't wait!"