Rukavina ready to bleed for Partizan

Leading his team-mates to give blood was one of Antonio Rukavina's first duties after being given the captaincy by FK Partizan coach Miroslav Djukić.

Clean slate
After two successive seasons without a major domestic trophy, Partizan are looking to wipe the slate clean this season. With former captain Ivan Tomić joining the club as sporting director, and erstwhile defender Gordan Petrić becoming deputy general secretary, the appointment of Djukić in January marked a dramatic change behind the scenes for the Belgrade giants.

Seismic changes
The squad, as usual, underwent seismic changes over the summer, with Milan Smiljanić, Nikola Gulan, Marko Lomić, Ivica Kralj, Nicolas Asprogenis and Nemanja Jovšić among a raft of players heading elsewhere. The arrivals of Senegalese forward Lamine Diarra, Brazilian defensive midfielder Juca and creative midfielder Almai Moreira have helped make up the numbers.

New captain
However, when it came to choosing a new captain, Djukic plumped for the 23-year-old Rukavina, fresh from his exploits with finalists Serbia at the UEFA European Under-21 Championships in the Netherlands. "This is a great honour for me," he said. "My motto is: work hard and shut up. I try to give my best at all times and it is really great when somebody looks and gives a bonus for that."

Tough start
The first weeks in his new position have not been easy. First there was the disappointment of Partizan's expulsion from the UEFA Cup for crowd trouble in their first qualifying round match at NK Zrinjski in Mostar. Then he was called upon to lead his side in giving blood. "That was new a experience for me but I was happy because we must help to people who really need it," he said.

Partizan ambition
The loss of blood has not dimmed Rukavina's ambition, and the defender has only the highest ambitions for the season. "We will play much more attack-mindedly than last year and our defence is very strong," he said. "We can focus on domestic competitions without distractions from Europe so we can turn that minus into a plus. The title is our primary aim. The double is our dream."

Senior service
Rukavina's poise and ability saw him receive a first senior cap in the 2-0 UEFA EURO 2008™ win in Finland on 2 June. "I was more than happy," he recalled. "I was in great company." Now he hopes to combine Partizan title celebrations next summer with a trip to Austria and Switzerland with Serbia. "We are halfway through and must be in top form in our next seven matches," Rukavina said.