Even if they fully recover physically, I imagine it must be quite difficult to mentally get over the trauma of that kind of pain sufferedI don't think I've ever seen these types of injuries on players and they come back with the same spark
The Wesley Fofana who can’t stay fit? Not the best example really! He’s been permanently ruined since the injury.
The Carabao Cup has become a much bigger competition in its own right in the last five years - it was reason enough for Newcastle to have a parade, and is only really dismissed by teams chasing the PL and/or CL these days.
While I don't give a damn about this competition, couldn't he have been injured in any game? It's just a matter of probability that he got injured in this game. When Shaw broke his leg thanks to a horrible tackle (which went absolutely unpunished funnily enough) it was just as sad and sickening even though it was a CL game. By having 3 less games every four years we cannot reduce the probability of injury by much to be honest. Footballers will always go for these 50-50 tackles and sometimes one will come worse off. I am sure Donnarumma was not looking to break Jamals ankles. If it was a fatigue injury it would have been different.
It’s also a matter a probability that the more matches played the more probability for injury, especially considering he was just coming back from a previous injury. Players need a break now and then. He would’ve been kicked back on holiday if not for this sham of a tournament.
The challenge was reckless, though.
Players are welcome to not ramp up their wage demands more and more for less playing time. They get more breaks than you and get paid way better. Players are fine.
What are they supposed to do ? Refuse to play ? I agree it’s odd that Kompany and others haven’t rotated more in this tournament. But that is also just a top player’s mentality. If there is a match they want to play. It’s not all about money. Mostly but not all anyway. Prestige plays a part as well.
Federations and clubs have driven the eye-watering inflation in the game far more than players or even agents. If everyone weren’t on their knees gobbling up state sponsorship and sportwashing the finances of the game would look very different and atrocities like the CWC wouldn’t even exist.
I'm sure Neuer was all about respect and fair play when he hammered Higuain
Maybe I'm misremembering, but he was out a bit longer and never quite the same afterwards. Still absolutely rapid though
Two wrongs don’t make a right. But while I get the criticism towards Neuer, he really is quite reckless at times himself, I would say what Donnarumma did yesterday was more dangerous. But what I find even worse is, that he apparently didn’t even go to Musiala afterwards. That’s a lack of character to me.
He was visibly shaken afterwards. And according to Neuer himself, he did go over later on, right?
He went to Musiala because Neuer told him to. Minutes after the challenge.
Yeah Donna looked sick as soon as he saw the state of Musiala. I will say he is prone to go wandering in the box and even did so earlier in the match on a cross which he was lucky to get away with. It’s just not his strong suit. But the rules are the real issue.
A centre back is different because the role is largely about reading the game and positioning.
