Serb authorities investigating the mysterious housewife who uses placenta to treat Barclays Premier League players want to question her about possible tax evasion. Mariana Kovacevic, whom they believe has at least three aliases and as many as four different addresses around Belgrade, is thought to charge 3,000 euros for sessions treating the likes of Robin van Persie and Frank Lampard.
That is six times the average monthly take-home pay in the Serb capital. She is not officially registered as a practising physiotherapist and the only Mariana Kovacevic in health authority records is listed at a pharmacy in Sarajevska Street. When Sportsmail attempted to trace her at the pharmacy, we were told:’Ah, the woman that everybody in the city is looking for? No, I don’tknow her. She doesn’t work here.’ In a case which is developing the sinister trappings of an underworld operation, Kovacevic has disappeared without trace. The players she iscurrently treating are also being kept hidden from view by abewildering combination of subterfuge, private jets, fast cars andeagle-eyed surveillance.
Chelsea have admitted privately that Lampard flew to Belgrade on Fridayfor treatment on his damaged left thigh, yet he was not even seen atthe airport, being funneled through the VIP arrivals terminal.
What Kovacevic actually does to the players once they’re flat out on the treatment table in front of her is a closely guarded secret. “I am going to receive treatment from a female doctor,” van Persie announced earlier this week. “She is vague about her methods but I know she first massages you for a long time with placenta fluid. I’m going to give it a try. It can’t do any harm and if it helps it helps.”
Lampard is one of several Premier League stars to have visited Kovacevic
Kovacevic has not been seen at her New Belgrade clinic since Wednesdaywhen Van Persie, Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio arrived for treatmentwhich is now understood to involve the use of electrical impulses andsmall metal sticks covered in placenta jelly penetrating the skin andthen being fed back through it.
Seven days ago, Serb sportsmen happily spoke about their visits to seeKovacevic and the miracle cures she had performed on their injuries.Now it is almost impossible to find one who will even admit to visitingher.
Kovacevic has become so successful has that she is now represented by Star Management Signings, a pan-European agency. Star’s spokesman Zoran Krneta told reporters: “Mariana used to treat people in her spare time, but it has started spiralling out of control. She is quite secretive about it, but the three main elements are massage, the liquid and maybe a little bit of psychology. I’m not sure how much percentage applies to each, but it is effective.
“She receives people in her home, and though there has been some scepticism, she is schooled in physiotherapy. That has always been the essence of her work.”
Benitez said: “We knew of other players at Premier League clubs who have been to Belgrade for treatment with this lady, and we were made aware that it was very effective. Zabaleta told Riera about it.
“She has been working for seven years with top-class sportsmen, not just footballers. So she has the experience.
“We felt it was a good opportunity to send some of our players. We sent two, Benayoun and Riera and they came back and started training straight away.
“So we decided to send two more, Johnson and Aurelio, and the same thing has happened. They have been training and all four will be in the squad against City.
“Arsenal’s Robin van Persie went earlier, but now there are several more top players who are going to have treatment in the same way.
“City have sent two, (Vincent) Kompany and Zabaleta beforehand, and they were playing within days.
“There have been no injections, it is a placenta cream applied with a (massage) machine that creates waves of pressure.”
He added: “We sent our players, and Van Persie was there. Kompany and Zabaleta have also been there, and we have been made aware of the success of this treatment over several years.
“Many top players have been going there for seven years, it has been successful and I believe it is safe.
“It is good for specific injuries, doctors have explained the treatment and the components of the cream that is used. We are happy with it.
“We checked it out when we became aware of the different players who had been there. I must admit we have been surprised with how well it has worked.
“It means we have players available and training that we expected to be out for several weeks. Can we guarantee that they are fully fit? We will see, but they have trained with the rest of the team for three days and they are OK.”
