Real Madrid News
Former Real Madrid striker reflects on failed stint at club, praises Benzema and Modric
Speaking in an interview with ATV (h/t MARCA), former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic has admitted that his transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu came a tad too early in his career.
Jovic joined Real Madrid from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2019 after enjoying a spectacular 2018/19 campaign. The Serbian cost Los Blancos a whopping €60 million but never got going at the Spanish capital outfit.
Having failed to make any sort of impact, the 24-year-old finally called time on his stint at Real Madrid and joined Fiorentina this past summer.
Now, opening up on his experience at the home of the reigning Spanish and European champions, Jovic said:
“It was great. It was a great experience for me and I am very honored to have been part of the biggest club in the world. But I think I went to Madrid too soon.”
The former Eintracht Frankfurt striker added that Karim Benzema’s explosion and his own fitness problems also played a part in his struggles at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“Karim Benzema exploded and deservedly won the Ballon d’Or. At first, I was unlucky. First COVID broke out, then some injuries stopped me… but for me, it was definitely a great experience,” Jovic added.
Speaking of his former Real Madrid teammates, Jovic singled out Benzema and Luka Modric for praise, saying:
“I wouldn’t want to distinguish anyone for their playing qualities, but Karim Benzema has left a mark on me, and without a doubt also Luka Modric, who has always been there for me. Luka is one of the best players in the history of Real Madrid.”
On his decision to join Fiorentina, Jovic admitted that he made significant financial sacrifices to join the Serie A side and believes that it will be the ideal ‘springboard’ for him to bounce back.
“I decided to come to Fiorentina even though I had offers from bigger clubs. Not to mention the financial side. Everyone knows I made financial sacrifices to come here. I think coming to Fiorentina is a good springboard to get back to my old form and come back to a big club again.”
Since joining the Viola, Jovic has netted six goals in 18 matches across all competitions, double the number of goals he scored in 51 games during his time at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
