Ghostknife
04-08-2008, 01:04 PM
I thought I would share this with the world. For those of you who may think Football/ Soccer, is a wimpy sport
PETR CECH has been ruled out of Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Fenerbahce at Stamford Bridge tonight.
The Czech international seems certain to also miss the rest of Chelsea's Premier League run-in after suffering a second, sickening facial injury in two years, with some reports last night suggesting that he could be out for as long as six months.
Cech had plastic surgery that involved 50 stitches after having his face ripped apart during a freak collision with Tal Ben-Haim during training on Sunday.
The Israel defender got one of his studs caught in Cech's bottom lip, causing a one and a half-inch rip down to the bottom of his chin.
The wound required 30 stitches at its deepest point and 20 more to the rest of Cech's face.
It is understood that corrective plastic surgery was also used to prevent the 25-year-old having lasting scars.
The injury will rekindle memories of last season's horrific injury, when Cech needed surgery on a depressed fractured skull after colliding with Reading and Republic of Irealnd midfidler Stephen Hunt.
At the time, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and playing colleagues admitted that they feared for the Czech goalkeeper's life and, although this latest setback is not as serious, Chelsea will be definitely concerned about the psychological implications.
Cech missed 24 games as a result of the injury last season, and has worn a protective rugby-style scrum headguard since.
Even with that protection, the 25-year-old has had a successions of minor problems this season.
He missed five games before Christmas after injuring a calf against Schalke, was absent for two more at the turn of the year with hip and thigh injuries and has also missed the last nine games with a thigh problem he suffered in training ahead of the home leg against Olympiakos in the previous round.
The goalkeeper's absence will be keenly felt by Chelsea, who must rely on Carlo Cudicini for a match in which, already 2-1 down, the concession of an away goal could prove costly. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
PETR CECH has been ruled out of Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Fenerbahce at Stamford Bridge tonight.
The Czech international seems certain to also miss the rest of Chelsea's Premier League run-in after suffering a second, sickening facial injury in two years, with some reports last night suggesting that he could be out for as long as six months.
Cech had plastic surgery that involved 50 stitches after having his face ripped apart during a freak collision with Tal Ben-Haim during training on Sunday.
The Israel defender got one of his studs caught in Cech's bottom lip, causing a one and a half-inch rip down to the bottom of his chin.
The wound required 30 stitches at its deepest point and 20 more to the rest of Cech's face.
It is understood that corrective plastic surgery was also used to prevent the 25-year-old having lasting scars.
The injury will rekindle memories of last season's horrific injury, when Cech needed surgery on a depressed fractured skull after colliding with Reading and Republic of Irealnd midfidler Stephen Hunt.
At the time, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and playing colleagues admitted that they feared for the Czech goalkeeper's life and, although this latest setback is not as serious, Chelsea will be definitely concerned about the psychological implications.
Cech missed 24 games as a result of the injury last season, and has worn a protective rugby-style scrum headguard since.
Even with that protection, the 25-year-old has had a successions of minor problems this season.
He missed five games before Christmas after injuring a calf against Schalke, was absent for two more at the turn of the year with hip and thigh injuries and has also missed the last nine games with a thigh problem he suffered in training ahead of the home leg against Olympiakos in the previous round.
The goalkeeper's absence will be keenly felt by Chelsea, who must rely on Carlo Cudicini for a match in which, already 2-1 down, the concession of an away goal could prove costly. (© Daily Telegraph, London)