
- Croatian midfielder left London in the summer
- Back at the Bridge for Premier League thriller
- Odd reaction to dramatic penalty leveller
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Croatia international midfielder brought a five-year spell at Stamford Bridge to a close over the summer when he swapped west London for the North West of England. Mateo Kovacic had enjoyed considerable success in a different shade of blue, becoming a Champions League winner while taking in over 200 appearances.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Kovacic’s colours are supposed to be firmly nailed to City’s mast now, with the 29-year-old looking to help Pep Guardiola’s side defend their Premier League title. He could, however, be seen reacting to a dramatic late goal during a return to the Bridge on Sunday in surprising fashion.
DID YOU KNOW?
City dropped two points at Chelsea as Palmer converted a stoppage-time penalty in a thrilling 4-4 draw and Mateo Kovacic– who was standing on the edge of the box as a nerveless spot-kick was crashed into the top corner – appeared to give a fist bump when seeing the ball hit the net.
WHAT NEXT?
It is impossible to tell what was going through Kovacic’s mind at that point, unless the man himself speaks out, and it may be that he was merely geeing himself up for the time that remained on the clock. Chelsea fans are, however, taking his actions as an indicator that he will forever be one of them.