Players - Milan Jovanovic

Milan Jovanovic
Birthdate: 18 April 1981
Birthplace: Bajina Bašta, Serbia
Other clubs: Vojvodina (1999-2003), Shakhtar Donetsk (2003-04), Lokomotiv Moskva (2004-05), Standard Liège (2005-10), Anderlecht (2011-13)
Signed from: Free Transfer
Signed for LFC: Bosman, 08.07.2010
International debut: 02.06.2007 vs. Finland
International caps: 44/11 (7/0 at LFC) - 29.02.2012
Liverpool debut: 29.07.2010
Last appearance: 12.02.2011
Debut goal: 22.09.2010
Last goal: 02.12.2010
Contract expiry: 05.08.2011
Win ratio: 27.78% W:5 D:6 L:7
Games/goals ratio: 9
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 1 / 0
League games / goals / assists: 10 / 0 / 0
Total games / goals / assists: 18 / 2 / 0

Player Profile

Jovanovic made his breakthrough as an 18-year-old in the colours of Vojvodina in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-largest city after the capital, Belgrade. After spending a couple of years in Ukraine and Russia, Jovanovic finally found his home at Belgian club Standard Liège In 2006 and quickly became a crowd favourite. His debut season in Belgium was very successful, scoring 24 league and cup goals in 39 matches and he was almost as prolific a goalscorer in the next two seasons, adding another 32 goals from 76 matches. During his third season he came on as a substitute against Liverpool at Anfield late in normal time but Standard were defeated 1-0 after extra-time in the Champions League third qualifying round at Anfield. Jovanovic was Serbia’s top scorer in the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches and that led to his inclusion in the 23-man squad that would travel to South Africa for the finals. He quickly made his mark with the goal that defeated Germany in Port Elizabeth. However, Serbia lost to both Ghana and Australia and failed to reach the knock-out stage of the tournament. Jovanovic was voted Belgian Footballer of the Year at the end of the 2007/08 season and received the Golden Shoe for his league performances in 2009. He won the Belgian league title twice with Standard.

Jovanovic had made an agreement to join Liverpool on a free transfer before Rafael Benítez left the club and even though he left before his arrival he joined the Reds in the summer of 2010. The Serbian had a difficult first season at Anfield and didn't seem to receive much support from his replacement, Roy Hodgson, or from the supporters. Jovanovic started only thirteen competitive matches and in eight of those he was substituted. He played in the opening five Premier League matches but after that was more to be found on the substitutes' bench than on the pitch, if he figured in the matchday squad at all. He seemed rather one-dimensional and hardly “charged up the field" when given a chance, looking more like a Fiat Multipla rather than a race car. Jovanovic made the pitch only a couple of times under Kenny Dalglish and netted just twice for Liverpool, the opener in the humiliating League Cup defeat to Northampton Town and the goal in Bucharest that earned a precious Europa League point against Steaua. Jovanovic had been a star in the Belgian League and was considered by Anderlecht as a marquee signing when they obtained his services in August 2011. It was immediately clear that the Serbian was happy to be back in Belgium after his short and unhappy spell in England. Jovanovic scored nine times from 35 League matches as Anderlecht became domestic champions for the thirty-first time in their history in 2012. It was a success the Brussels club repeated twelve months later with Jovanovic appearing in nearly fifty first-team matches during the season and scoring twelve goals. The Serbian's Anderlecht contract expired at the end of June 2013 and at the age of thirty-two Jovanovic decided to return to the country of his birth, retiring from football.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 10 0 1 7 0 18
2010-2011 10 0 1 7 0 18
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
2 157 Rabotnicki
2 136 Napoli
2 120 Blackpool
1 91 Northampton Town
1 90 Trabzonspor
1 90 Birmingham City
1 85 Manchester City
1 79 Steaua Bucharest
1 73 Utrecht
1 66 Arsenal
1 60 WBA
1 17 Wigan Athletic
1 11 Manchester United
1 7 Newcastle United
1 6 Everton
Total Started/substitutions
13 Started
13 On the bench
5 Substitute
8 Substituted
Total Venue
9 Away
9 Home
Total Competition
10 Premier League
7 Europa League
1 League Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
16 5 5 6 31.3% Roy Hodgson
2 0 1 1 0% Kenny Dalglish
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 0 0 1 1 0 2
2010-2011 0 0 1 1 0 2
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Opponent
1 Northampton Town
1 Steaua Bucharest
Total Started/substitutions
2 Started
0 Substitute
Total Competition
1 League Cup
1 Europa League
Total Goal minute period
1 1-15 minutes
1 16-30 minutes
Total Goal origin
2 Open play
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 29.07.2010 Rabotnicki Philip II Arena Europe
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 9 22.09.2010 Northampton Town Anfield League Cup
Related Articles
Serbian striker Milan Jovanovic delighted to sign for Liverpool FC

By Liverpool Echo on 16 July 2010.

Milan Jovanovic in profile

Chris Wood spotlights Liverpool's latest capture and Rafa Benítez' last ever signing.

Jovanovic deal a sign of the times

Richard Jolly at Soccernet says his piece.

Perhaps I'm special

Milan Jovanovic on turning down Real Madrid on Jul 29 2010 by Ian Doyle, Daily Post

Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Vojvodina 1999-2003 Serbia 1 43 10 43 10
Shakhtar Donetsk 2003-2004 Ukraine 1 6 1 6 1
Lokomotiv Moskva 2004-2006 Russia 1 3 0 3 0
Standard Liege 2006-2007 Belgium 1 29 14 33 15
Standard Liege 2007-2008 Belgium 1 31 16 32 16
Standard Liege 2008-2009 Belgium 1 30 12 38 14
Standard Liege 2009-2010 Belgium 1 26 10 37 13
Anderlecht 2011-2012 Belgium 1 35 9 44 12
Anderlecht 2012-2013 Belgium 1 33 8 46 12
Total 236 80 282 93