Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic is ‘very sorry that some people have not done their job professionally and have not given me specific instructions’ after he broke quarantine rules.
A report by El Mundo outlines how the striker was the one player who Madrid did allow to return to his home country to spend time with his young family, but he was seen partying on the streets of Belgrade – a move which has drawn criticism both in the nation and in Spain.
Jovic and other Serbian players who play with foreign clubs were criticized by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic after they returned, with the striker seen partyin in the streets of Belgrade on his girlfriend’s birthday.
Brnabic has said, as cited by Diario AS: “We have negative examples of our footballers, who are paid very well, ignoring mandatory self-isolation upon returning home.”
Brnabic and other leaders have urged all Serbian citizens to refrain from returning home if possible, to limit the spread of the virus.
“Instead of isolating himself, the forward had fun all over Belgrade,” the Blic newspaper said, adding that the police are tracking Jovic’s movements in Belgrade. “Luka did something very stupid,” added the Informer newspaper, explaining that the player was celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday on the streets of the Serbian capital.
“In Madrid, my Covid-19 test was negative,” Jovic explained on his Instagram account. “That is why I decided to travel to Serbia, to help and support our people; in addition to being close to my family. I did it with the permission of my club.
“When I arrived in Serbia, they tested me and it came out negative. I am very sorry that some people have not done their job professionally and have not given me specific instructions on how I should behave during my isolation.”
All Real Madrid members of staff were quarantined and their facilities closed last week after one of their basketball stars, Trey Thompkins, tested positive for coronavirus.
Jovic, 22, joined Los Blancos in a landmark €60m deal last summer from Eintracht Frankfurt but he has started only four league games and has found himself frozen out of Zinedine Zidane’s plans.
Serbian striker Jovic was prolific for Frankfurt last season and he netted a devasting 27 goals for the club, including 10 in the Europa League.
That prompted the Bundesliga club to trigger their purchase option on a deal from Benfica, before selling permanently to Madrid – where he has failed to dislodge primary attacking star Karim Benzema.
