Beograd ready for Futsal feast

Tough test
Serbia and Montenegro's top team have the honour of staging Group B, which features FC Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine as well as last year's two finalists - MFK Dinamo Moskva of Russia and the team that beat them, Action 21 Charleroi of Belgium. It promises to be a tough test but, with two places in the semi-finals up for grabs, anything is possible at the renowned Hala Pionir on 29/30 January and 1 February.

Early days
The Belgrade club was founded in 1970 under the name Mungosi. In those early days, the team was made up of former footballers who were keen to keep active, although without a formal domestic competition. They dominated the small-sided scene in the former Yugoslavia but things went quiet during the 1980s and 1990s.

Moving forward
The club took a huge stride forward in 2001, when club officials decided to ensure their place among the top sides under the new name of Tempo Kompany. The club's identity would soon change again to its current incarnation, with the arrival of new investors in August 2003, and they have not looked back.

Ivašković memory
Aside from sporting aspirations, Beograd have another reason to want to do well in this season’s UEFA Futsal Cup. The club remember fondly the legacy of former president Dragan Ivašković, who died in 1994. Ivašković was a firm believer in Futsal, and did much to help the club get where they are today, competing with Europe's élite.

Domestic success
A successor has yet to be appointed, although Svetozar Otić is currently in charge of the club's affairs away from the action. Regarding the team itself, they won the Serbo-Montenegrin title in 2003/04 and 2004/05. In last year’s debut in the UEFA Futsal Cup, Beograd performed well in the first qualifying round and only lost out after a 7-3 defeat by the might of Boomerang Interviú.

Coaching expertise
Beograd are led by the coaching duo of Dejan Knežević and Goran Ivančić, with the latter a former player and also assistant to national team coach Goran Savićević, the brother of the former AC Milan great Dejan Savićević. There is strong strength in depth among the playing staff, with the goalkeeper Predrag Brzaković perhaps the most significant name as he had a distinguished playing career in the eleven-a-side game.

Star names
Others worth looking out for when the seocnd qualifying round takes place are club captain Bojan Pavićević, a regular international, and top scorer Predrag Rajić. All were key performers as Beograd breezed through Group 4 in the last round. Rajić struck a hat-trick in a 7-0 win against Dinamo Tirana of Albania, before repeating the feat in a 8-1 victory over Athina ’90 Athens of Greece. An incredible third treble came in the decisive 5-4 success against the mini-tournament’s Slovenian hosts KMN Svea Lesna Litija.

Strong support
Rajić and co are sure to get plenty of support at the Hala Pionir, despite usually playing their games at the Hala Šumice in front of 1,500 fans. The Pionir, near the centre of Belgrade, is normally home to basketball but a sell-out crowd of 7,000 spectators is expected for the three days of the UEFA Futsal Cup. Organisers are hoping to lay on special surprises for those turning up, including fireworks, but few would doubt that it is the players on view who will provide the real explosive action.