LIVERPOOL icon Fabio Aurelio had a nightmare return to Anfield when he took part in the club’s Legends match against Ajax last month.
Aurelio joined a whole host of former players from the two clubs during the international break as Liverpool won the match on Merseyside 4-2.
Although Aurelio’s former club got the win, and he was able to play alongside heroes such as Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, things didn’t end well for the retired full-back.
During the first half the 44-year-old was on the receiving end of a horrible injury as he tried to prevent Kiki Musampa from scoring Ajax’s second.
Aurelio punctured his lung and cracked a five ribs following his defensive efforts and was forced to spend a night in Aintree University Hospital.
He recalled the moment that he suffered the injury in an interview with The Athletic.
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Aurelio said: “I just tried to make the block and as he followed through after shooting, he ended up hitting me with his knee,
“You don’t expect an accident like that to happen in a Legends match, but when you go out there in front of 60,000 people, the competitive streak comes out.”
After missing out on the post-match celebrations with his teammates, Aurelio was forced to stay in the UK and delay his return to his home in Brazil over concerns with the injury.
He explained: “I couldn’t fly back last week because of the damage to my lung.
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“At the start, the doctors said I would need to wait three weeks, so I was a bit scared, but the specialist saw the X-rays a few days ago and said it has settled down.
“The lung is OK and with the ribs, it’s just a matter of time for them to heal.”
And despite the shocking moment that turned what should have been a nostalgic day out to a horror week in-and-out of hospital, Aurelio found a silver lining on his clouded time in Liverpool.
The former Brazilian Olympian was able to watch his beloved former club take on Brighton in a 2-1 victory on Sunday that left them top of the Premier League table.
He added: “I feel much better now and I’ve been well looked after by the club.
“There’s always a good side to bad things. It meant I was able to enjoy Sunday’s game against Brighton at Anfield. Apart from the accident, it’s been a fantastic trip.”
Aurelio spent six years with Liverpool making 133 appearances for the club and helping them win the League Cup and Community Shield.
He played under iconic managers such as Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish before leaving England in 2012 to join Brazilian club Gremio and hanging up his boots just two years later.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
