Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic insists he never doubted himself despite enduring a ‘difficult’ opening few months at the club.
The Serbian striker joined Los Blancos in a €60m move from Eintracht Frankfurt, for whom he netted 27 times this season but he has appeared a fringe figure in the Spanish capital thus far.
Jovic has also fallen out of favour at international level with boss Ljubiša Tumbaković, who played him for only three minutes in the recent loss to Portugal.
There has also been concern that he claimed he was injured in a recent match against Luxembourg only to feature for Madrid four days later, which has apparently led to a breakdown in trust.
Jovic netted his first goal for Los Blancos in the 5-0 midweek victory over Leganes in La Liga and he is now hopeful that he can push on.
“It was not easy because so much was expected of me, it was difficult,” Jovic said in statements to the Serbian sports newspaper Sportski zurnal, as cited by Marca.
“I suffered great pressure, but I was aware of my quality and I knew it was a matter of time (until the goals arrived).
“I was motivated above all by the desire to show the leaders of the biggest club in the world that they were not wrong to bring me. And also the support of the people closest to me, who are with me every day.
“The goal was a great relief!”
