Real Madrid’s £62million flop Luka Jovic is in the last chance saloon… he has scored just ONE goal since his arrival and needs a star turn against Club Brugge to stay at the Bernabeu
- Luka Jovic might not get too many chances between now and transfer window
- He scored his first goal for Real Madrid against Leganes at the end of October
- But since then he has been given very little game time by boss Zinedine Zidane
- The £62million summer acquisition does get the nod on Wednesday evening
Zinedine Zidane came out with the old familiar: ‘We are only thinking about this game’, ahead of Wednesday night’s meeting with Club Brugge.
It was hard to believe with Valencia and Barcelona on the horizon and Madrid already through as group winners, but for one man it is all about this game – Luka Jovic.
He might not get too many chances between now and the opening of the transfer window and he may need a strong performance to persuade Madrid that they don’t need to listen to offers for him at the start of the year.
Luka Jovic might not get too many chances between now and the start of the transfer window
Summer arrival Jovic scored his first goal for the club against Leganes at the end of October
Jovic scored his first goal for the club against Leganes but has since gone a month without playing so much as a few minutes.
The fact that the front of Diario AS carried the images of the two Brazilian youngsters who may well play either side of him on Wednesday night, Rodrygo Goes and Vincius, spoke volumes for the way he has almost been forgotten by Madrid media and supporters.
He was gifted a Spanish dictionary at the players’ Christmas meal last week which, while confirming that he is struggling to learn Spanish, did at least suggest he is part of the jokes and fun of the squad.
His biggest problem looks to be Karim Benzema who should be rested on Wednesday night depriving him of the chance to keep up his pursuit of Raul – currently in third place in the all-time Champions League top scorers.
Benzema surprised everyone last year with the way he stepped up in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. He has carried on in the same vein this season and because Madrid only play with one striker the path to the first team has been blocked so far.
When Jovic signed for Real Madrid last summer one question hung over his presentation like a cloud – why did Bayern Munich not sign him?
But the 21-year-old has since gone a month without playing so much as a few minutes
They usually hoover up the Bundesliga’s best talent and their then coach Niko Kovac knew Jovic well having signed him on loan in 2017 at Eintracht Frankfurt.
After he laboured to get off the mark in a Real Madrid shirt there was even speculation on late night television in Spain that Madrid were trying to work a loan deal for their forward.
The idea of a swap with Bayern Munich – Jovic for Robert Lewandowski in January, was fancifully put forward. A more modest destination seemed more likely.
On Wednesday night the £62million acquisition does get the nod for Champions League clash
Madrid are keen on keeping him at the club because they know what they saw last season when he scored 17 in 32 appearances in the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt, adding 10 goals in 14 Europa League matches including the semi-final against Chelsea.
He is physically strong and capable of scoring left foot, right foot or with his head inside the area.
No one believes he has lost those natural instincts but the view is that he is also a player who needs the confidence of a coach and regular starts – going to Madrid aged 21 was always going to be a risk.
On Wednesday night the £62million acquisition does get the nod from the coach. ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ said Zidane when asked if this was his chance to show that the fringe players are important.
Kovac is gone from Bayern so it’s now even less likely he could go from Madrid to Munich. But plenty of teams need a goalscorer. And no one, not even Zidane, doubts that is something Jovic can do.
