Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic has avoided a prison sentence in his native Serbia for breaching quarantine rules earlier this year and will instead pay a €30k fine, report Cadena Cope.
As outlined by Marca in April, prosecutors were looking at landing the striker with a three-year prison sentence, although such calls had subsequently been scaled back significantly.
💥 Informa @melchorcope
👨🏻⚖️ Luka Jovic, jugador del @RealMadrid, ha pactado con la fiscalia Serbia pagar 30.000€ por saltarse el confinamiento el pasado mes de marzo
❌ Evita así la posibilidad de ir a la carcel pic.twitter.com/H28HFJtVNN
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) November 10, 2020
A report in El Mundo outlined how the striker was the one player who Madrid did allow to return to his home country to spend time with his young family during lockdown earlier this year, but he was allegedly 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 partying in the streets of Belgrade on his girlfriend’s birthday.
Brnabic said at the time, 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 had urged all Serbian citizens to refrain from returning home if possible, to limit the spread of the virus, which was breached by the Madrid player.