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Tag: Kovacic

  • I’m covering for Rodri – Kovacic

    I’m covering for Rodri – Kovacic

    Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic was delighted with his brace in their 3-2 win against Fulham.

    City came from a goal down to earn a difficult three points on the day.

    Kovacic later said, “Yeah, it was a tough game, like every game here in the Premier League.

    “There is no easy game in the league. I think we dominated in the beginning and could have scored. We then conceded and then came back quickly.

    “In the end we won it. It was a tough game against an opposition in good form, so for us it is good to continue on a winning form. It is never easy to play in the Premier League and today we showed great character. Good game for us.

    “The manager told us (midfielders) we should be around the box because we’re always there. Today we pushed.

    “Luckily I was there, Bernardo gave me a great ball, in the end it was a good control and a good shot. So it was important as always that we win. It means a lot because my wife is pregnant so it was great to get some goals for the little one.

    “It doesn’t matter who scores, the most important are the three points and hopefully now we can continue like this.”

    Kovacic also said, “I’m playing at the moment there so I need to cover for Rodri. We miss him a lot, I think any team would miss a player like Rodri.

    “We wish him a speedy recovery and that he comes back in good shape as soon as possible. But for now we have to adapt and for sure the manager has a lot of options so we can rotate.

    “We play every three days and every game is a tough one. It is not easy and we have to adapt to the schedule. It is what it is. We have to be in top form every day.”

  • Man City defender reveals teammate as his football father

    Man City defender reveals teammate as his football father

    Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has heaped praise on teammate Mateo Kovacic.

    The two are well acquainted, as they play for the same club and national team.

    As the duo prepare for the Community Shield against Manchester United on Saturday, Gvardiol spoke about his adaptation to England since his move to City last summer.

    “I always like to compare the time I signed for Leipzig and last season with you guys,” Gvardiol told the official Man City Podcast.

    “In Leipzig, I was alone, I didn’t have anyone to speak with especially in Croatian and I don’t speak German so it was difficult for me.

    “I had Mateo with me and I would say he’s like my father, he’s always there for me and he takes me everywhere.

    “Everywhere they go, he just says comes with us because I live alone, I’m single and my parents live in Croatia but they come often.

    “But a lot of the time I’m alone here and he’s the one who always like to call me, to invite me for lunch or dinner or whatever. It’s a different story to the one I had in Leipzig.”

  • Kovacic makes history in Club World Cup victory

    Kovacic makes history in Club World Cup victory

    Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic made history with yesterday’s Club World Cup victory over Fluminense.

    City won the final 4-0 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday.

    And by featuring, Kovacic became the first player to win the CWC with three different clubs.

    He previously did so with Real Madrid (2016, 2017) and Chelsea (2021).

  • I should’ve joined Man City sooner – Kovacic

    I should’ve joined Man City sooner – Kovacic

    Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic admits he wishes he had joined Manchester City sooner.

    The pass master swapped Chelsea and London for City and Manchester, choosing to work under Pep Guardiola.

    Kovacic believes that he could have won even more trophies if he had signed for Guardiola’s team earlier in his career.

    “It’s amazing and tough because I’m learning a lot of new things and I would have loved to come at an earlier age to learn,” said Kovacic, while on international duty.

    “But it’s never too late to learn. I think like that. So I’m happy I can learn from him and what he tells you.

    “I would’ve loved someone to have told me a few years ago. But yeah, now I can still learn and you can really tell he is fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed it from the first moment. It was tough the first few days to understand what he wants – ‘don’t move there, go there’.

    “So I like to run a lot on the pitch sometimes – ‘go there, go there’. But he told me, ‘Be more calm, don’t run too much’. So it was like a little bit of surprise for me as well and it’s nice. The club you can tell from the first day is amazing. The people are great, and the city is also nice.”

  • EPL: Chelsea’s Kovacic set to join Manchester City

    EPL: Chelsea’s Kovacic set to join Manchester City

    Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic, is on the verge of putting pen to paper  on a  €40 million deal for English Premier League Manchester City according to  ESPN.

    Both club sides have agreed in principle for the the player to switch camp with a fee already agreed.

    This has led to detailed negotiations about how the payments are structured.

    Chelsea are under pressure to raise funds through player sales after splashing out around £600 million during Todd Boehly’s first year as owner, only to miss out on European qualification altogether.

    Any outgoings completed before June 30 will fall under the first full tax year and, therefore, help mitigate losses to aid compliance with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules.

    Kovacic has agreed personal terms with the treble winners, and the move is now imminent.

  • Tuchel reveals happiest Chelsea player after Champions League draw

    Tuchel reveals happiest Chelsea player after Champions League draw

    Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel admits Mateo Kovacic is happy with their Champions League group draw.

    The midfielder has a connection with all three opponents – AC Milan, RB Salzburg, and Dinamo Zagreb.

    Tuchel said, “I cannot care less about all the other groups. I only care about our group. I think we need to be fast with away tickets because the family of Mateo Kovacic is buying all that we have because it is in Austria, Croatia and his former city when he played for Inter and we are playing AC. I think he is buying all the tickets that are available so this is where the focus is for our players to get tickets for family and friends!

    “It is always a difficult group. I have never experienced an easy group in the Champions League. I don’t care about names, which league, if this is our level or not. If we have to we want to go through. I have only experienced difficult group phases even if it looks from the outside if it’s easy and clear. These matches are tough. It’s the toughest competition. I am happy I will play against teams and in stadiums I have never played before. From there we go.”

  • Chelsea football club hit with injury blow ahead FA Cup final

    Chelsea football club hit with injury blow ahead FA Cup final

    Chelsea football club may be without the services of Mateo Kovacic for this weekend’s FA Cup final against Liverpool.

    Kovacic was substituted in the first half of their 3-0 win at Leeds united on Wednesday night.

    The Croatian midfielder was roughlu tackled by Leeds United player Dan James in the fiesty encounter that got him sent off.

    Speaking after the massive 3-0 win Chelsea manager, Thomas Tuchel, was asked about Kovacic at the end of the match at Elland Road.

    He said he didn’t see the tackle when it was made, but the replay on his Ipad showed the Leeds Unted palyer deserves to be sent off.

    “I only saw [the tackle] from a distance on the iPad because I was not watching the match at that very second, but if I see Kova’s foot right now, then there is no doubt it should be a red card,” he said.

    “It’s the same ankle again. It’s very, very painful and it’s very bad news on a nice evening.

    Liverpool and Chelsea will slug it out in the FA Cup on Saturday at 4.45pm Nigerian time.

  • Why I’m upset with Chelsea midfielder – Mourinho

    Why I’m upset with Chelsea midfielder – Mourinho

    Roma manager, Jose Mourinho, has said he was very upset with Chelsea midfielder, Mateo Kovacic because he never managed the Croatia international despite their similar career paths.

    Mourinho said this ahead of Croatia’s Euro 2020 opener against England on Sunday.

    Since leaving Dinamo Zagreb in 2013, Kovacic has played for three clubs, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea, all previously managed by Mourinho.

    But the 27-year-old has never worked with the Portuguese gaffer.

    “Kovacic, I always feel he’s much better than what people think,” said Mourinho on talkSPORT.

    “And I am very upset with him because he played in every club I have been to, but never with me!

    “He played for Real Madrid, but not with me. He played for Chelsea, but not with me. He played for Inter, but not with me.

    “So I love the guy and the guy who followed my clubs… maybe he goes to Tottenham! Maybe he will go to Tottenham next season! But he never played for me.”

  • Double boost for Chelsea as Kovacic, Kante return for FA Cup final

    Double boost for Chelsea as Kovacic, Kante return for FA Cup final

    Manager Thomas Tuchel says it is a “huge” FA Cup final boost for Chelsea to have Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante back fit to face Leicester City.

    Croatia star Kovacic has missed nine matches with a hamstring problem but is now ready to return for Saturday’s Wembley showdown.

    France World Cup-winner Kante was kept out of Wednesday’s 1-0 English Premier League (EPL) loss to Arsenal due to a painful Achilles issue.

    But now, the Blues boss Tuchel confirmed on Friday both midfield men are ready to take on the Foxes.

    “The whole group is available, Kova is with us again,” said Tuchel.

    “It’s huge because Mateo has everything that we need in midfield. He has experience, power, acceleration, deceleration, he can dribble the ball and beat players.

    “He’s fast, he has physical ability and he’s experienced in big games and in the Premier League.

    “When we missed N’Golo and Mateo in the same match we lacked a lot of quality, energy and experience.

    “Billy Gilmour did a huge job in both games but it’s not fair to compare him to these players because they have more experience and they are a step ahead in their development.

    “It’s what we need in the key moments of the season. It’s big news for us that Kova is back, he has a huge impact in the dressing room around big matches.”

    Kante formed a pivotal part of Leicester’s Premier League title win in 2015 and will now go up against his old club in Saturday’s Cup final.

    The linchpin midfielder has been back to his very best under the German, with the Chelsea head coach delighted to have one of his chief lieutenants back in top condition.

    “Yes, it’s huge,” said Tuchel. “We took the decision together, him, me and the medical team, to leave him out and give him this Arsenal match to rest and have treatment to his right Achilles.

    “It was pain management. It’s not a huge injury, it’s nothing you need to be afraid of getting bigger. It was just there, it was a bit annoying, just pain management and pain treatment.

    “So, he did all training sessions yesterday (Thursday) and today (Friday) full, no complaints. He will start tomorrow (Saturday) and very likely finish the game for us.”

    Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday has left the Blues exposed in their quest for a top-four Premier League finish.

    Tuchel’s men will face Leicester City again on Tuesday in a crucial league encounter.

    The Blues boss accepts that the two quick-fire Foxes clashes could now prove the crux of the close to their season.

    “These are two finals and we don’t think about anything other than the two finals,” said Tuchel.

    “There’s the final for the Cup and the final for the top four.

    “We missed the chance against Arsenal to be decisive, have the decisive advantage. So, now we have to cope with it, and first of all show the reaction at Wembley to have the upper hand on Tuesday. And this is what we are up for.”

  • I wouldn’t fight Rudiger, Azpilicueta or Kovacic – Tuchel

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has named three of his players that he would never want to fight.

    The German was asked about the mentality and tenacity of his team as they prepare for a Champions League quarter final second leg against FC Porto.

    The Blues are 2-0 up from the first leg, and will be hoping to seal a spot in the semi finals.

    “Honestly you don’t want to be in a fight with Antonio Rudiger, Kova (Mateo Kovacic) and Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta),” he told reporters.

    “For me you don’t want to be in a fight with them, because they are ready to fight and it’s their nature to show it on the pitch and protect the interests of our team.

    “They are there we can rely on them nobody has to do stuff which is against their nature you can totally rely on them.

    “For me when I was a player at a lower level when you have big matches and feel the tension you look around at who is next to you and feel comfortable, see who you can rely on.

    ‘I feel our guys are very comfortable when they look around and see who they can rely on. No one is out there alone, we will help each other, we will help from the bench.

    “We will push hard for the best outcome. We have minimum of 90 minutes to fight for and achieve a big goal.”