"Wrong from the beginning" - Big-money flop opens up on his 'unhappy experience' at Real Madrid
Former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic has explained why his stint with Los Blancos did not work out.
Jovic joined the La Liga giants from Eintracht Frankfurt for €63 million in 2019. He moved to Madrid after an impressive season with the German club, where he scored 17 and assisted six times in 32 Bundesliga games.
The then 21-year-old joined Real Madrid with the hope of potentially taking the baton over from Karim Benzema. However, his spell at the Santiago Bernabeu did not go to plan.
Jovic was restricted to just 420 minutes of La Liga action in his first season at the club, with fitness problems not helping his cause. He found the back of the net just twice for Los Blancos that term.
The Serbia international's struggles, both in terms of fitness and performance, continued the following season. Following a poor start to the campaign, he returned to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan in January 2021.
Although he managed regular playing time in Germany, that was not enough for the striker to force his way into Carlo Ancelotti's plans after returning to Madrid. He clocked just 549 minutes of playing time across competitions last season.
Jovic's dismal stint with Real Madrid came to an end last summer after the club decided to cut their losses. He was allowed to join Serie A side Fiorentina on a free transfer despite having three years in his deal.
The La Viola frontman has now admitted that he made the step up from Frankfurt to Madrid too soon. He also confessed that the transfer was an utter failure for him:
"My experience at Real Madrid went wrong from the beginning, I left Eintracht too early," Jovic told La Repubblica (via Fabrizio Romano). "All the spotlights were on me. I was only 21; it was difficult to adapt. Injuries, Covid and unfair pressure ... it was an unhappy experience."
#RealMadrid
Luka Jovic: "My experience at Real Madrid went wrong from the beginning, I left Eintracht too early. All the spotlights were on me" 🇷🇸 #RealMadrid
"I was only 21, it was difficult to adapt. Injuries, Covid and unfair pressure... it was an unhappy experience", he told Repubblica. https://t.co/XcIMPwjhIx
How has Luka Jovic fared since leaving Real Madrid?
Although he has struggled to replicate his Eintracht Frankfurt form, Luka Jovic appears to be enjoying his time away from Real Madrid. He has established himself as a regular starter for Fiorentina.
The Serb has scored 11 times in 34 appearances across competitions and provided two assists. La Viola are 12th in Serie A but remain in the mix to win the Italian Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League.