Montenegro football rocked: Zvonko Ceklic sidelined by match-fixing suspension
Zvonko Ceklić is set to be absent from the field for the next year and a half due to a suspension from match-fixing allegations. A concerning recording from the match has surfaced online.
11:52 AM EDT, April 19, 2024
Details about Zvonko Ceklic's suspension have been shared on the "Football in Montenegro" profile. The local league's authorities have responded to an incident during the stoppage time of the first half of the game between Mladost Donja Gorica and Decić.
The match concluded with a 3:0 victory for the visitors. Just before the half-time break, the first goal was scored. Bojan Matić was the scorer, capitalizing on a pass from a teammate who had made a break into the penalty area.
Zvonko Ceklić's actions during this crucial moment raised eyebrows. Nearby, the goal-scorer, instead of attempting to block the shot, oddly jumped away from the ball and lifted his leg. Many in Montenegro are sceptical about this being a mere coincidence, and Zvonko Ceklic's emotional reaction post-goal has done little to silence doubts.
With the suspension set for a year and a half, Ceklić will be away from football until 2025, barring any change in the decision. Following the questionable match against Decić on February 24, he was removed from the lineup, and the coach substituted him during the interval, shortly after the controversial goal.
Ceklić has represented Montenegro at the junior and youth levels and has spent his club career there. He joined Mladost Donja Gorica on loan from Buducnost Podgorica.
Regrettably, the Montenegrin league is ranked among the lowest in Europe. In the current UEFA national rankings, Montenegro is positioned third from the bottom, surpassing only Gibraltar and San Marino. Interest in these lower-tier competitions is minimal, further dwindled by scandals such as the one involving Zvonko Ceklic.
