If there is any doubt as to whether Marko Dmitrovic, PSV Eindhoven’s pitching father who tried to hit Sevilla goalkeeper, had chosen the wrong man, they disappear in the course of this interview.
It’s not so much when the imposing Serbian goalkeeper explains how he fended off the drunken hooligan in the final minutes of the second leg of Sevilla’s Europa League match in February. It’s more if he only talks about football.
“I really like English football: how dynamic it is. The referees let you play a lot more, let go of the game. I like strong football,” he says.
“This is a sport of duels, but in Spain we are used to fouls being committed at the slightest touch. We are better protected, football is always about playing hard.
“If there’s a collision, you get up and move on. If someone is really injured, the referee can commit a foul and penalize him with a yellow card. It annoys me that people scream at the slightest touch and are fake. That’s not football.’
Seville’s Marko Dmitrovic was punched by a PSV fan in a Europa League match in February
The Serbian goalkeeper fought off and wrestled with the drunken hooligan that has since been received
Dmitrovic and his Sevilla team-mates are hoping to cause a stir at Old Trafford on Thursday evening in a league they have won four times in the last ten years.
It wasn’t football in February either when the six-foot goalkeeper was pounced from behind by a spectator in the final minutes of Sevilla’s victory over PSV.
“As players on the pitch we are focused on football, nothing else,” he says. “It surprises you and you don’t know what will happen.”
It didn’t take long for Dmitrovic to realize what was happening – he was attacked by a drunken hooligan who, once in front of him, tried to throw a punch. Things didn’t end well for the thug who was pinned down by the goalkeeper until he was dragged away by the stewards.
PSV’s grounds will be partially closed at their next European match as punishment and they were fined 20,000 euros. The Dutch club banned the field occupier for 40 years and sent Dmitrovic some flowers.
“That was a nice gesture,” he says. ‘PSV is a great club with very passionate fans. One fan going onto the field cannot tarnish such a club.’
The punch that doesn’t land as the attacker rocks back on his heels and goes to the ground gives the scene a comedic vibe, but there’s a very serious point to be made.
‘I think he had a lot of alcohol in his blood; he was insanely drunk,” says Dmitrovic.
‘But you know what? He could’ve had a gun or something on him, he could’ve assaulted someone quite a bit, really seriously injured.’
Dmitrovic is only expecting a few boos as he heads to Old Trafford against Erik ten Hag’s (pictured) Manchester United side in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final
It’s happened before. Dmitrovic refers to his compatriot Monica Seles, the tennis player who was stabbed between the shoulder blades during a tournament in Germany in 1993.
“Maybe we need more security, tougher penalties, higher fines,” he says. “A football match can only be a football match. If a fan enters the field, there is an organizational failure.’
There was another incident away to Fenerbahce in the next round when he was hit by a cigarette lighter thrown from behind the goal. He hopes Old Trafford will have more respect for the visiting keeper.
‘Maybe a little cheering, but nothing more. I follow the English game a lot. I played with Charlton for a few months. And what can I say about Old Trafford? It is one of the most historic stadiums in existence. I’m sure the atmosphere will be great.’
Dmitrovic transferred from the Hungarian league to Charlton in 2015. It’s been an unfortunate four months, but he’s not ruling out a return to England.
“The Championship is the best second tier in the world,” says the 31-year-old. “But I didn’t get the chance to play much: five or six games. It all happened very quickly. It was good to learn. I saw that the level was very high and it helped me to be better prepared in the future [another chance comes].’
He started the season as Sevilla’s second-choice behind Morocco’s number one Yassine Bounou. But the last coach Jorge Sampaoli played him in the Europa League games and since the current manager Jose Luis Mendilibar took over, he has also started in the league.
If I’m a bit old school, he’s 100% old school,” he says of Mendilibar who also coached him at his last club Eibar.
The Sevilla goalkeeper could well be busy with Man United as favorites to win the competition
“It’s not because he’s with me now that I’m saying this, because I’ve been talking about him for years: I tell people he’s the best coach I’ve had.
“He doesn’t put me on the team because he likes that I’m bald or because I’m a good guy or anything outside football. You could be his son, but if you don’t do what he wants, you don’t play, and that’s that. He’s very direct.’
Football is also much more direct now.
When current Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui was replaced by Sampaoli seven games into this season, the Argentine’s insistence on playing from the back did not sit well with a side battling relegation.
“Sampaoli’s view of football is very nice, but with the situation we were in and the profile of the players we have, we didn’t manage to do things the way he wanted,” said Dmitrovic.
Dmitrovic has secured his place at Sevilla after originally being number 2 behind Yassine Bounou
The 31-year-old made five appearances for Charlton during the 2015-16 season
“A lot of teams look at Barcelona (their way of playing), but it’s really damn hard to play the ball from the back and score goals. Watch the highlights of matches across Europe. How many goals are scored by playing from behind with short passes, and how many goals are let in as a result?
“He’s a good coach, but it was the wrong time. He came into a selection that was built for another coach, not 100% to his taste.’
There is something else that binds Dmitrovic and Mendilibar that could be relevant if Sevilla’s draw with United goes to penalties – the latter made the keeper his penalty taker during their time together at Eibar.
“After training I often lag behind taking free kicks and penalties and there was a moment with Mendilibar where I think Eibar had missed three or four in a row and he said: You have to take the next one.
‘Nobody knew, just me and him. When our next penalty was awarded against Atletico, I scored.
“Unfortunately I missed the next one then. I took it very badly, but such is life. If I have to take another one, I’m done.’