Buducnost Podgorica vs Arsenal Tivat

Playing on their own training ground at Kamp FK Budućnost on Stari aerodrom, the 'Blues' fielded an entirely different XI in each half — a total of 24 players saw minutes. The match was Budućnost's first friendly after ten days of training under new manager Radonjić, who took over ahead of the 2026/27 season.

First half — Budućnost's first XI included new professional signing Matija Jovanović, an 18-year-old attacking midfielder who had put pen to paper on a two-year pro contract earlier that day. Jovanović opened the scoring for the hosts, continuing his strong form from a loan spell at second-tier Iskra. Arsenal Tivat hit back through Igor Vukčević in the 41st minute, sending the sides in level at the break.

Second half — Radonjić made a full XI change, introducing 13 fresh players. The reshuffled side took control immediately. Stefan Radojević restored Budućnost's lead, before Vasilije Kračković and Petar Vujović both found the net to seal a comfortable 4-1 win.

The wholesale half-time changes. Radonjić used the opening 45 minutes to give his first-choice candidates match fitness, then turned to a second group that proved sharper and more clinical. Three goals in the second half against a tiring Arsenal Tivat side showed the depth Radonjić is building, even at this early stage of pre-season.

• Matija Jovanović — The 18-year-old capped a memorable day by scoring Budućnost's opener just hours after signing his first professional contract. The Montenegro U19 international played on loan at Iskra last season and looks set for a bigger role in 2026/27.
• Stefan Radojević — Scored the crucial second goal that broke Arsenal Tivat's resistance early in the second half.
• Vasilije Kračković & Petar Vujović — Both got on the scoresheet in the second-half rout, demonstrating the attacking depth at Radonjić's disposal.

The match page shows a 4-1 full-time scoreline with a 1-1 half-time split, which tells the story of two distinct halves. Budućnost's first XI — featuring several first-team regulars from last season — could only manage parity against Arsenal Tivat. But the second string, many of whom are younger players pushing for places, produced a three-goal margin of victory. In a pre-season friendly where fitness and squad evaluation matter more than the result, Radonjić will have been pleased with the response after the break.

This was the first of several pre-season tests for Budućnost Podgorica as they build towards the 2026/27 Montenegrin First League season. The squad travels to Zlatibor on Monday for a 14-day training camp where they face stronger opposition to continue building match sharpness. Arsenal Tivat, who finished 8th in the CFL last season, are also in early preparation for the new campaign, which kicks off in August.

Next fixtures (reported): Budućnost Podgorica face Radnički 1923 (Serbia) in a friendly on 7 July 2026 at their training camp. Arsenal Tivat's next pre-season fixture has not been confirmed at the time of writing.

A textbook pre-season opener: Budućnost shook off early rust, gave minutes to every available player, and finished with a scoreline that rewards the squad's first ten days of work. The emergence of homegrown talents like Jovanović fits the club's stated strategy of rebuilding around academy products. Plenty to work on, but the perfect start.