Before yesterday’s game against Real Sociedad, every one of us had accepted the failure of Jovic’s 60 million euro transfer to Real Madrid. And looking at the progress of his current season and reading those rumours of Jovic going out on loan in January, I decided to have zero expectations from Jovic, and accept whatever may happen.
The Serbian had played just 112 minutes in all competitions before yesterday’s game against La Real. Though he registered an assist to his name in that limited playing time, his performances weren’t as convincing as what we expect from a player who wants to fight for his place. With each passing day, looking at Carlo Ancelotti’s lack of rotations and the dearth of opportunities for the striker, the hope was diminishing. But I still had a tiny bit of hope left somewhere in my heart, because I believed he’s a talented player and deserves a proper chance at Real Madrid.
But yesterday’s performance rekindled hope in most of the Madridistas, as he scored a goal and produced an assist with some neat touches. It was his first goal for Real Madrid since the 9th of February, 2020, which just explains everything for you. The bad part of the whole night was that he got this chance because of an injury to Real Madrid’s talisman, Karim Benzema. But the best part was that Jovic made the best use of the chance, which is indeed very promising.
Scoring a goal after a long time is a huge form of relief for the Serbian and the fans, but it isn’t everything alone. The confidence that Jovic has got with this goal is what matters more here. I’ve always said that Jovic has the skills, but lacks the confidence. This goal has helped him a lot, and the expression on Luka’s face shows how badly he needed this moment. And this moment might lead to something, probably a turnaround in Jovic’s fate.
This might mark the beginning of Luka Jovic’s redemption at Real Madrid
When Jovic entered the field in place of the injured Benzema, he pretty much played like a passenger, as he has done for most of his Real Madrid career. He wasn’t at the same wavelength as others, and the lack of chemistry was clearly visible in a team that is used to a different type of striker.
But when he came out in the second half, it was a different Jovic. The rustiness was there, but there was a noticeable change. Maybe it was the impact of a half-time pep talk from the gaffer, but Jovic started to drop deeper, combine with players, and occupied the half-spaces between defenders. And it didn’t take long for him to produce a moment of magic, as a beautiful one-two with Vinicius lead to the Brazilian’s goal. This gave him a lot of confidence, and he started to be more active. Ultimately he too scored a goal, with him scoring a diving header that had shown his determination.
The Jovic of yesterday’s second half is exactly what Carlo Ancelotti and the club expect from Jovic. They want to see the same hunger and active game-play, where he adjusts to the team and comes out of his comfort zone. If Jovic wants to redeem his Real Madrid career and not end up as a Real Madrid flop, this is the best time for him to make the comeback and he needs to keep performing like this. A single good game isn’t enough for a comeback; you need to show consistency.
The performance against La Real shouldn’t be a one-off thing, and his redemption shouldn’t be ending here, prematurely. This time, he will also get a proper chance against Inter Milan, as Karim Benzema is expected to be out for the game, and is doubtful for the Madrid Derby. If he manages to impress Ancelotti against Inter Milan, he will be definitely be rewarded by the Italian manager, for his performance.
He will also have support from his teammates, with Luka Modric’s words showing how much they have waited for Jovic to prove himself and show that they can count on him. The stage is set for Luka Jovic, and his target would be to impress the Bernabeu in his outing against Inter Milan. The ball is in his court, and he has to succeed to keep his Real Madrid career alive.