UEFA insists ‘no delay’ in treatment of Varga after head injury

UEFA insists there was “no delay” in the medical treatment of Barnabas Varga after the Hungary forward sustained a head injury during the Euro 2024 match on Sunday.

Varga, 29, suffered a fractured cheekbone in the second-half of the Group A game in Stuttgart after being involved in a collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

He was then taken to hospital where he was later confirmed to be “healthy”, in a stable condition and was set to undergo surgery.

Following the incident in the 68th minute of the game, referee Facundo Raul Tello Figueroa immediately stopped play and medical staff entered the pitch to attend to both players.

A stretcher was brought on with a number of visibly distressed Hungary players running to it to speed up the pace that it was delivered before he was applauded off from all sections of the Stuttgart Arena.

UEFA insists all appropriate protocols were followed.

A statement from a spokesperson for European football’s governing body read: “The intervention of the team doctor happened within 15 seconds of the incident, followed immediately by the second stadium doctor, to conduct a first assessment of the injury and provide appropriate treatment, as per customary medical procedures.

Varga was treated on the field (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images)

“The qualified pitch-side emergency team were waiting pitch-side, according to their protocol, and arrived with the stretcher as soon as their intervention was requested by the medics to evacuate the player for his immediate transfer to hospital.

“The coordination between all the medical staff on site was professional and everything was done in accordance with the applicable medical procedures. There was no delay in the treatment of and assistance to the player.”

Ferencvaros striker Varga started each of Hungary’s three group games and scored in the defeat to Switzerland.

They can still qualify for the next phase as one of the best third-placed teams but coach Marco Rossi confirmed — as expected — that should they do so, Varga won’t be able to play a part.

“Everyone was worried because the doctors arrived a bit late,” he said. “I don’t think they realised it was a dangerous situation. But Barni is not in any danger now.

“He fractured here (pointing at his cheekbone) and is going to have an operation in the next few hours. But he is healthy. The most important thing is he’s healthy.

“Of course, and for sure if we go through the competition he will not be any more a part of the team.”

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Varga fractures cheekbone, stable in hospital after being taken off in Hungary vs Scotland

(Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty Images)