Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
Darko Kovacevic has told former Real Madrid defender Raul Bravo “I have no doubt you had nothing to do with it” after local media reported Bravo allegedly participated in his assassination attempt.
Former Leeds United defender Bravo, 38, reportedly received a call from former Sheffield Wednesday striker Kovacevic, 46, yesterday (Sunday) afternoon in which the striker denied Bravo’s involvement in his assassination attempt.
Kovacevic reportedly told his former Olympiacos teammate Bravo: “We have been teammates and I have no doubt that you had nothing to do with it.”
The call comes after Serbian media outlet ‘Telegraf’ claimed Bravo “was involved in the attack on Kovacevic” in a report on 15th January.
Kovacevic was reportedly the target of an assassination attempt on 7th January when a man fired at him from close range near his home in Athens, however, he was able to dodge the bullet by diving to the floor.
Bravo himself is involved in a match-fixing case dubbed the ‘Oikos case’ which has also included former Leeds United footballer Samuel Saiz, 28. Bravo was arrested for his alleged participation in 2019 but was acquitted.
Telegraf reported Kovacevic “resented” Bravo and “knew background information” on the Oikos case which prompted the former defender to reportedly “order the attack”.
Despite the Telegraf report saying “there is no official information”, the rumours have gained traction to the point some media outlets even speculate that he might have ordered the hit.
These allegations made Kovacevic reportedly call Bravo to show his support in denying the accusations which were made by the media.
Bravo spoke with radio programme ‘El Larguero’ broadcast by Spanish radio network Cadena SER and said: “Darko called me worried.
“He is charismatic. He does not get into trouble. To wake up one day and see your name in the newspaper saying that you sent someone to kill him is crazy.
“Kovacevic told me it comes from Serbian gossip media. I asked him to come out and speak to lay this to rest. He told me he could not right now and I had to speak.
“I had a great relationship with Darko. He took two days to call me. I would have called at the moment. My family was worried.
“Darko himself must have flipped out when he heard the news. Linking him to the Oikos case is absurd. You see that in the press and it worries you. We have no negotiations or debts. He was a teammate of mine and nothing else.”
Bravo also briefly addressed his involvement in the Oikos case and said: “I am not declaring myself innocent, I am innocent because I did nothing wrong.”
Bravo and Kovacevic both played at Olympiakos between 2007 and 2009.
Local media reports that there is no official statement from Darko or his family but that sources close to them said “these kinds of false stories can only interfere with the investigation”.
Kovacevic’s attempted murder is still under investigation by Greek authorities however there have been no reports of suspects or motives so far.
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