Stojković smiles through adversity

A painful facial injury was less than ideal preparation for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Portugal but the local expatriate community has rallied round to ensure that Serbia and Montenegro captain Vladimir Stojković will be fit to play against Germany on Tuesday.

Grim prognosis
The goalkeeper was badly hurt in a training-ground collision with striker Milan Purović on Saturday, losing several teeth and raising fears that he had suffered concussion and possibly broken his nose and jaw. That grim prognosis prompted Zoran Filipović, a member of the Serbia and Montenegro delegation and a former SL Benfica striker and assistant coach, to take advantage of his network of Serbo-Montenegrin exiles in the country.

Damage limitation
Extensive treatment from the best Serbian dentist in Portugal followed. The result: Stojković's appearance before a pre-match press conference on Monday with only one tooth missing. "It seems everything will be OK, but obviously we have had a few problems with injuries," said the 22-year-old, who has just secured a move from double winners FK Crvena Zvezda to FC Nantes Atlantique in France.

Room for improvement
He added of the tournament's curtain-raising game: "It is a hugely important match for us as Germany are a very well-organised team and we have to be careful. But winning will make everything a lot easier for us and we are ready for this championship and hope to improve on reaching the final two years ago."

High spirits
Midfielder Simon Vukčević, like Stojković a veteran of the 2004 final defeat by Italy, also wants to consolidate on that impressive showing. "It is vital to maintain the atmosphere we had in Germany two years ago when we came second," said the 20-year-old from Russian club FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast. "The atmosphere in the camp is excellent and we are a very strong group of players. I believe in myself and my team-mates, and people back home are expecting results from us, but first we have to concentrate on Tuesday's match. However, we are not afraid of any team, we are ready for them all."