Real Madrid flop Jovic says he was 'unlucky' at Bernabeu as he hails 'phenomenal' Zidane

Luka Jovic believes he was unlucky during a disappointing spell at Real Madrid that saw him score just two goals in a season and a half. 

Jovic moved to Santiago Bernabeu from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019 for €60 million (£53.5m/$73m), but injuries and a lack of goalscoring form hindered his time at the club. 

The 23-year-old returned to Eintracht Frankfurt earlier this month on a loan until the end of the season, and has immediately picked up where he left off with the Bundesliga club. 

Jovic has scored three goals in three games so far, despite all those appearances coming off the bench. In 76 minutes of play, the Serbian has exceeded his goal total from 32 games with Madrid.

In a press conference on Tuesday, the striker said that he felt right back at home with his former side.

“I am very happy to be back. I feel very comfortable and that can be seen on the pitch," Jovic said. "I scored two goals during my time at Real Madrid and now I have three here."

While his time in Madrid did not go according to plan, Jovic still believes he learned a lot during his spell in the Spanish capital.

“I was unlucky at Real Madrid," he continued. "The injuries harmed me and privately, it didn’t go well at all. I feel lucky to have been able to return to Frankfurt, where they have really welcomed me.

“I have been lucky to have been able to train every day with the best players in the world [in Madrid]. I have gained experience and I consider myself a better player today. Despite not having been able to have the continuity on the pitch, I take plenty of positives from Madrid.“

Jovic was asked to compare Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane and Frankfurt boss Adi Hutter, and the forward had plenty of praise for both.

“I don’t want to go into details, they are both phenomenal coaches," Jovic said. "Zidane is also very good on a personal level, but it is easier for me to communicate with Adi in English since I am not fluent in Spanish to be able to converse fluently with Zidane. These kinds of details make it easier for me.”