SIR Alex Ferguson was left “numb” by one horror challenge on a now forgotten Manchester United star.
Rodrigo Possebon was being tipped for big things at Old Trafford after his 2008 move from Brazilian club Internacional.
The midfielder had impressed in pre-season and was fighting his way into the first team – before one injury put paid to his progress.
Possebon, now 34, was selected to make his full debut in a League Cup game at home against Middlesbrough in September, forming a midfield alongside Anderson and Ryan Giggs.
But one moment left his promising career to unravel as he sprinted for a loose ball in the middle of the park.
A shocking late tackle by Boro captain Emanuel Pogatetz caught the youngster.
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The Austrian flew in with his studs up, and the challenge’s force left Possebon flying into the air.
He was given oxygen by medical staff and taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Despite initial fears he had a broken leg, he was miraculously playing again a month later.
But his career would never get going again with the midfielder sent on loan a season later before making a scattering of appearances at far less glamorous clubs than Man United.
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Speaking after the game, Ferguson said: “It looked a really bad one. For the kid to make his first team debut and get an injury like that it was pretty horrendous.
“For 10 minutes, everyone was numb about it. I have seen a video of it and you don’t want to see that again. We just hope it is not really, really serious, but it looks bad.”
Possebon was the director of football at Brazilian club Ferroviária SAF until March earlier this year when he resigned from the position.
He had however reflected on the moment his career changed.
He told the Manchester Evening News: “Getting injured is never good, mainly because I was in a good sequence of games, but I never thought that the injury could end my career.
“Before the injury, I was in great physical and technical shape, so the period that I was off the activities with the squad hindered me from having opportunities in the team again. Manchester United had one of the best teams on the planet at the time, so having an opportunity in the squad again was not an easy thing.”
He added: “I have no regrets. Playing for Manchester United was a dream come true. More than that, I learned a lot and it gave me incredible experience to carry out my activity today as a Director of Football.
“The whole environment that involves a club like Manchester United, the level of professionals, the pressure, the demands, living in the UK, were fundamental to shaping me as director of football.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
