Serbia has announced a strong squad for the launch of their 2012-13 European Shield campaign ahead of facing holders Germany in Heidelberg. Among the 26 players are five debutants: Pero Madžarević, Miloš Djurković and Nemanja Božić from Radnički plus Red Star’s Dedić brothers, Vojislav and Vladislav, who both spent two weeks at Hull Kingston Rovers in February together with Miloš Ćalić, who also makes the squad.

The most experienced included are Zoran Pešić, with 24 appearances for the national team, captain Dalibor Vukanović and Soni Radovanović. Two returnees to the team are Dimitris Dajč and Ivan Djordjević.

Head coach Marko Jankovic, who was under the stewardship of former Great Britain star Lee Crooks in 2011, is excited about his young and talented charges. “The match versus Germany is a great opportunity for us to try out some younger players at the start of a new international cycle. There are a few new names on our squad list but they’ll have to earn their place in the team. Generally our team is much younger now.“

The squad, led again by Dalibor Vukanović, will be hardened by the annual City-Country clash, with Belgrade and Serbia Country each responsible for 13 players in the squad. ’’Our first opponent is the current Shield holder and we respect that fact,“ continued Jankovic, ’’but we also have an obligation to reinforce our record against them", which sees the Serbs 3-0 up after two victories in the Shield and last year’s friendly.

Serbia has won the European Shield twice, in 2007 and 2010.

SERBIAN TRAIN-ON SQUAD
Nenad Radević, Aleksandar Sič, Lazar Živković, Miloš Zogović (Car Lazar), Dimitris Dajč, Danilo Delić, Stefan Nedeljković, Stefan Nikolić, Stevan Stevanović, Ivan Šušnjara, Milan Šušnjara, Radovan Tajsić, Vuk Tvrdišić, Nikša Unković, Dalibor Vukanović (capt.) (Dorćol), Soni Radovanović (vicecapt.) (Lescure-Arthes XIII), Nemanja Božić, Miloš Djurković, Pero Madžarević, Slaviša Zekić (Radnički Nova Pazova), Miloš Ćalić, Vladislav Dedić, Vojislav Dedić, Ivan Djordjević, Zoran Pešić, Nebojša Živanović (Red Star Belgrade).

GAME 1 – 12 MAY 2012
GERMANY V SERBIA, Fritz-Grunebaum-Sportpark, Heidelberg. 1500 hrs

GAME 3 – 9 JUNE 2012
SERBIA V ITALY, Makis Stadium, Belgrade. 1700 hrs