Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has criticized the slow reaction of medical personnel following a harrowing collision that left his Hungary teammate, Barnabas Varga, with severe injuries during the Euro 2024 match against Scotland.
Varga, a Ferencvaros forward, sustained multiple facial fractures and a concussion following a disturbing clash with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn, leading to a nearly seven-minute stoppage in play. Despite the delay, the 29-year-old is reportedly in stable condition at a hospital in Stuttgart.
Expressing frustration with the response time, Szoboszlai took matters into his own hands by rushing to Varga’s aid and even fetching a stretcher from the medical team, while substitutes urgently demanded swifter action.
“I was one of the first people there,” Szoboszlai told Magenta TV. “I was shocked myself, I tried to put him on his side, which is actually the best thing you can do in situations like this. He couldn’t get enough air. “I have no idea what the protocol is, whether people are not allowed to run onto the pitch if we need help, but…” Asked whether he believed the response was fast enough, the 23-year-old continued: “I don’t think so. “You could see that it’s a huge problem. Everyone was running, I was running – these things add up to seconds. “It’s not my decision, but we have to change something about it. We have to do it faster, much faster. Everyone knows that seconds add up.”
The Hungarian Football Federation issued a statement confirming the extent of Varga’s injuries and informing that surgery is likely necessary.
A statement from the Hungarian Football Federation said: “Several bones in Barnabas Varga’s face were broken during the collision during the match, and he also suffered a concussion. Surgery is most likely to be expected. He spends the night in the hospital in Stuttgart. The whole team is rooting for him!”
Hungary’s manager, Marco Rossi, revealed that his players believed Varga had lost consciousness, though conflicting reports from Hungarian media suggested otherwise.
Hungary manager Marco Rossi said after the match: “What I heard from the players is that he was not conscious. Everybody was really worried about his condition and also worried about the fact that doctors arrived a bit late, we can say. Probably they did not realise it was a dangerous situation. “Fortunately, now, we can say Barney is not under any kind of risk. Probably he will have an operation because he suffered a fracture.”
As the football community rallies behind Varga, questions arise regarding the adequacy of the medical response at the Stuttgart Arena, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the incident.
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