Rafael Benitez has turned to the mystery horse placenta healer
from Serbia to solve Liverpool's injury crisis it emerged last
night, when Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio both flew into Belgrade
to get treatment from the controversial Marijana Kovacevic.
It was the latest twist in the extraordinary story of Kovacevic,
the woman who was made famous this week when Arsenal's Robin van
Persie announced his intention to visit her and undergo her
unorthodox horse placenta treatment on his ruptured ankle
ligaments. Now it seems that even the arch-rationalist Benitez has
decided that she can help him solve his injury problems.
Johnson and Aurelio are both doubtful for Saturday's key game
against Manchester City, with the former having missed England's
friendly against Brazil last weekend with calf and groin problems.
Johnson and Aurelio were filmed by a Serbian television crew
walking through Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, but refused to
speak to reporters. It was later confirmed to The Independent that
both were on their way to see Kovacevic.
Johnson has been carrying his injury since before the Champions
League game against Lyons in France that Liverpool drew on 4
November. He played against Birmingham City five days later but was
not fit enough to join up with England. Aurelio last played for
Liverpool in the 2-0 win over Manchester United at Anfield on 25
October and his injury has left Benitez short of players on the
left side.
Kovacevic's approach to healing has generated such interest that
now, it is understood, she is only responding to calls and text
messages from trusted players. Working on a basis of
recommendation, her reputation has gone sky-high to the extent that
even the Liverpool manager, whose club doctor Mark Waller is
well-respected and also works for the England Under-21s, has put
his trust in her.
Kovacevic is understood to charge as much as €3,000 (£2,650) for
three days of treatment, which involves around six hours in all.
She uses fluids derived from horse placentas and electrolysis to
treat the afflicted part of the players who visit her. She is also
understood to play up the "alternative" side of her work with,
darkened rooms and lots of candles.
Players from all over Europe have been visiting Kovacevic on the
basis of recommendations from international team-mates but now even
clubs are giving their blessing to players seeing her, although
most retain a healthy scepticism about the intrinsic value of her
work. Liverpool's Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have both been to
see Kovacevic in the past few weeks, as well as three Manchester
City players from overseas.
Johnson is the first English player to be identified as a
patient of Kovacevic. There is no indication as to whether the club
have sent Steven Gerrard to see her, although he too has the kind
of groin problem that is presumably Kovacevic's speciality. Gerrard
was only an emergency substitute in the Birmingham City game and
missed England's friendly. The Liverpool captain has said that he
will be fit for the City game.