SCOTLAND’S Euro 2024 defeat to Hungary was paused for over ten minutes in worrying scenes after Barnabas Varga suffered a serious injury.
The Hungarian striker, 29, collided with Scottish No1 Angus Gunn while attacking a free kick and appeared to take an elbow to the face.
Varga crashed to ground, where he lay motionless as the referee immediately stopped the game.
Team-mates were quick to put Varga in the recovery position.
And medical staff immediately rushed onto the field to help the stricken striker, with sheets held around him onto the pitch to give him privacy as he received care.
Several players, including Liverpool star and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai, were seen in tears.
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With Varga clearly in distress, Szoboszlai even sprinted off the pitch to hurry stretcher bearers as they walked onto the pitch.
After a 10-minute delay, Varga was eventually carried off the pitch to applause from both sets of fans.
Viewers on television were showed a replay of the sickening incident, in an apparent breach of Uefa protocol.
The BBC apologised for the clip airing, explaining that they use the local TV feed meaning they have limited control over pictures.
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Host Gabby Logan explained live on air: “We were as shocked as you when they replayed that incident.
“There are protocols around this kind of thing after Christian Eriksen three years ago and we were very surprised that Uefa decided to show that replay, which is why we cut away immediately to a wide angle as soon as we could.”
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Inside Barnabas Varga’s rise from semi-pro to Euro 2024
BARBABAS VARGA has enjoyed a meteoric rise from semi-pro leagues of Austria and Hungary to the Euro 2024 finals.
The Hungary striker played for six seasons, between 2010 and 2016 for SV Eberau in the Bergenlandliga – the regional fourth tier of Austrian football.
A record of over a goal every other game earned Varga a shot at the big time with with SV Mattersburg in the Austrian Bundesliga.
However, he scored only once in just 16 games over the next three seasons before dropping down to the second tier with SV Lafnitz.
After a mixed spell, Varga’s next step was to his homeland, again in the second tier, with Gyirnot in 2020.
That’s where it began to click for Varga and his eye for goal saw top division Paksi FC swoop.
Varga scored almost a goal a game in his first season with Paksi, finishing as the top scorer in the Hungarian league.
That earned the late bloomer an international debut, at the age of 28, in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Bulgaria.
One his third cap, away to Serbia, he netted his first Hungary goal.
Last summer, Varga joined Hungarian giants Ferencvaros and again got the golden boot as his side won the league, the first silverware of his career.
As the game restarted, clips on social media soon showed Varga leaving the stadium in an ambulance, with reports suggesting he was thankfully conscious and communicating with paramedics.
The BBC confirmed after full-time, with Hungary netting a dramatic 100th-minute winner to give themselves hope of remaining in the tournament, that Varga was in stable condition at a Stuttgart hospital.
And head coach Marco Rossi revealed in his post-match interview that Varga will undergo surgery after suffering a fracture to his face.
The striker, who plays for Ferencvaros in his homeland, will be ruled out of the rest of Euro 2024.
Rossi said: “Barnabas Varga’s life is not in danger.
“He will undergo an operation after fracture in his face and he won’t be available for the rest of Euro 2024.”
Former Scotland international Pat Nevin insisted keeper Gunn had every right to go for the ball.
He told BBC 5 Live: “We have seen it before if a keeper comes out and he doesn’t get the ball but takes a player it is a foul.
“I actually think Angus Gunn got some of the ball there.”
Asked about the incident after the game, Gunn said: “That was a bit of a blur.
“I had to come and I thought I done well, it was a bit painful, hopefully, the guy is alright.”
Hungary scored via Kevin Csoboth in the 100th minute after a lightning counter to send Scotland tumbling out of the Euros.
They celebrated by holding up Varga’s shirt in tribute, but now face an anxious wait to find out if three points will be enough to see them go through as one of the best third-placed teams.
Scotland pushed hard in the extended spell of added time at end of 90 minutes and could have had the ball in the net via a goalmouth scramble before being caught out late on.
He will undergo an operation after fracture in his face and he won’t be available for the rest of Euro 2024.
Marco Rossi
Gunn added: “It’s hard to speak to be honest. I thought everyone gave their best out there.
“The goal at the end was because we were going for it, but I think the effort we gave today showed the fans and the country what it means to us.
“They managed to counter at the end and it was a bit of a sucker punch because I thought we defended very well for most of the game.”
Andrew Robertson was gutted after the game.
He told the BBC: “There’s nothing really to say to be honest, we gave it everything.
“Both teams had to win, we had a chance but that’s football, that’s how it goes.
“It’ll take a long time to get over this one, we had a lot of possession in the first half without doing anything with it but we were in control.
“We had to find that cutting edge and go for it a wee bit more.
“We did go for it but we got sucker-punched – a draw wasn’t going to be enough realistically.
“We have to get over this, it’s a tough one, it’s devastating, there’s no buttering it up.
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“It’s up to us to pick them up but that will only happen slowly but surely.
“What I will say is thank you to the country we felt everyone behind us, we knew the excitement back home, sorry for letting yous down.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
