Premier League
The Argentine goalkeeper caused a huge scare after leaving the stadium on a stretcher following a heavy blow to the head in a collision with an opponent
M.Á. RODRÍGUEZ / RYAN MITCHELL
Updated
At Goodison Park, moments of maximum tension and drama were experienced yesterday. It was the 65th minute of the clash between Everton and Chelsea, with Xabi Alonso's side holding a slim lead (0-1), when play had to be dramatically stopped. A wide free-kick in favor of the toffees triggered a serious incident in the penalty area that forced the match to be halted for more than ten minutes, setting off all the alarm bells at the Merseyside ground.
The cross into the six-yard box forced the Blues goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez, to come out punching, with the bad luck of colliding head-first with Jarrad Branthwaite, Everton's center-back, who also ended up somewhat dazed and with blood in his mouth. The goalkeeper fell in a position that alarmed all his teammates and prompted the medical staff from both teams to rush onto the pitch.
With the game stopped for more than ten minutes, the Argentine goalkeeper was urgently taken off on a stretcher after being fitted with a neck brace and given oxygen. The goalkeeper was hospitalized and operated on immediately for a jaw fracture, which was successfully resolved.
Once awake after the anesthesia from the procedure, it was Dibu himself who reported that he is doing well through his social media. "Thanks everyone for the messages. The operation went well", the footballer confirmed after going through surgery. With a sense of humor, the player wanted to downplay the scare and focus on the sporting side: "The most important thing is that we won and kept a clean sheet. In a few weeks I'll be back".