Man Utd's Matic defends Djokovic after COVID-19 positives in Adria Tour

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Carabao Cup - Semi Final Second Leg - Manchester City v Manchester United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 29, 2020 Manchester United's Nemanja Matic reacts after being shown a red card by referee Kevin Friend REUTERS/Phil Noble

(Reuters) - Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic has defended his Serbian compatriot Novak Djokovic for hosting the ill-fated Adria Tour where a number of players, including the world number one, tested positive for COVID-19.

Djokovic was criticised for hosting the tennis tournament amid a pandemic after his coach Goran Ivanisevic and players Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki returned positive tests over the two legs in Serbia and Croatia.