Lovren denies any wrongdoing after perjury charge

Liverpool and Croatia defender Dejan Lovren has denied any wrongdoing following a charge of perjury in his homeland.

The 29-year-old is alleged to have provided a false testimony in the trial of former Dinamo Zagreb director Zdravko Mamic in September 2017.

Mamic was sentenced to six and a half years in prison for corruption in June, with a court ruling he had made illegal profits on player transfers.

Real Madrid star Luka Modric was also charged with perjury earlier this year in relation to the same case. The Croatian Football Association (HNS) said at the time of the charge that it was "deeply convinced" of Modric's innocence.

In relation to his own situation, Lovren issued a statement on Instagram: "After coming from training this afternoon, I learned how media in Croatia, and then England, reported news that an indictment was filed against me for giving a false statement in one case in Croatia.

"My family, friends and acquaintances told me the same thing. So, before I saw or received the indictment at all, and before my attorneys received it, all the media reported the news.

"This is simply not fair, not just, not sporting. In this way, acting on me and my family is extremely discriminatory and unfair. [It's] a fight that is not fair and [one] I'm not used to.

"I want to say this to all, especially to my family, friends, supporters in my homeland, my club's fans in England, I am innocent.

"I didn't commit any criminal offence. I am proud of my life, every step of my life, everything that my family and I have created. No-one can dirty that. No media, malicious people, nothing.

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Nakon dolaska s popodnevnog treninga doznao sam kako su mediji u Hrvatskoj, pa potom i u Engleskoj objavili vijest kako je protiv mene podignuta optužnica zbog davanja lažnog iskaza u jednom predmetu u Hrvatskoj. Zvali su me članovi moje obitelji, prijatelji i poznanici koji su mi saopćili isto. Dakle, prije nego što sam uopće vidio ili primio tu optužnicu, i prije nego su istu zaprimili moji odvjetnici, svi mediji su objavili tu vijest. Ovo jednostavno nije fer, nije pravedno, nije niti sportski. Na ovakav način postupati prema meni i mojoj obitelji je krajnje diskriminirajuće i nepravično. Borba koja nije poštena i na koju nisam navikao. No ovim putem želim poručiti svima, ponajprije svojoj obitelji, prijateljima, navijačima u domovini, svom klubu i navijačima mog kluba u Engleskoj kako sam nevin. Nisam počinio nikakvo kazneno djelo. Ponosan sam na svoj život, na svaki svoj korak, na sve ono što smo moja obitelj i ja stvorili. To nitko ne može zaprljati. Nikakvi mediji, zlonamjerni ljudi, ništa. S obzirom da sam sportaš, dobit ću i ovu utakmicu. Dobit ću je u svakom slučaju te tako pokazati tko sam, kako sam živio i kako živim. A živim tako da živim za svoje bližnje, za svoju Domovinu, za svoj klub i za sve moje i naše navijače. Sa indignacijom odbacujem sve optužbe, a svima koji žele narušiti moj ugled i ugled moje obitelji poručujem da neće uspjeti. Dejan Lovren dobit će i ovu bitku. I svaku drugu. Pozdrav svima, hvala na snažnoj podršci.

Une publication partagée par Dejan Lovren (@dejanlovren06) le 19 Sept. 2018 à 11 :22 PDT

"Since I'm an athlete, I'll get this match. I'll get it in any case to show you who I am, how I lived and how I live. And I live so that I live for my neighbour, for my homeland, for my club and for all mine and our fans.

"With indignation, I dismiss all accusations and to anyone who wants to ruin my reputation and the reputation of my family, I say they will not succeed. Dejan Lovren will get this battle too. And every other."