Former Southampton star Dusan Tadic was lucky to escape serious injury after fighting off gun-toting thieves who tried to rob him outside his house in Amsterdam.
Tadic, the 33-year-old Serbian winger who is captain of Ajax, refused to surrender when armed thugs pounced on him as he returned from a local restaurant earlier this month. He decided not to inform his team-mates of the drama as they prepared to travel to meet Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
But he has now spoken about the incident, which saw him pull a crash helmet off one of the robbers when they came to blows while his wife and three young children were inside.
Tadic said: "I had been out to dinner with a friend at an Italian restaurant, but when I returned home two men tried to attack me. Although I was wearing a suit and shoes, I was faster, but then they grabbed their scooter and caught up with me.
"The next minute we were having a fight. By moving left and right, I drove them apart a little, I whacked their leader first. The other one grabbed me from behind by my throat, but I was able to elbow him. It's only in hindsight that you realise that things could have turned out very differently. But in the moment itself, you are full of adrenaline and go into battle.
"Even though they had three firearms, I would never give up my pride. I was born in Serbia and as a child I fought a lot. I felt good and strong. But after that you think 'what was this?'"
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Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller had £500,000 of cash and valuables stolen during a burglary on his home while he was playing against Barcelona on Tuesday evening. Tadic confirmed that the protective tape he has been wearing during recent Ajax games is to protect his damaged knuckles.
Tadic said: “This happens too often - and not only to football players. If people continue to feel unsafe, they will leave the area where they live. Yes, me too, because the well-being of my family comes first. I hope this crime will be stopped.
"We have now got private security and also taken other precautions - about which the police won't let me say anything."
Tadic is best known by Premier League fans for his four-year spell at Southampton, making 162 appearances for the club between 2014 and 2018. He was part of the Saints squad that reached the EFL Cup final in February 2017, losing 3-2 to Manchester United.
The 88-cap international started his career at Serbian side Vojvodina before moving to Dutch outfit Groningen in the summer of 2010. He joined Eredivisie rivals Twente two years later and returned to Dutch football with Ajax after leaving Southampton.
Tadic has enjoyed the most successful spell of his career at Ajax, scoring 92 goals in 203 games and winning six trophies - including three Eredivisie titles. He scored 38 goals during the 2018/19 campaign to help Ajax reach the Champions League semi-finals.
