There was a terrifying moment early at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it seems at least initially that the worst fears have been calmed.
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was injured just minutes into the first leg of Tottenham’s Carabao Cup semifinal first leg against Liverpool.
With Spurs taking a corner, the delivery was short and Bentancur came out to attempt a header so the ball wouldn’t reach a Liverpool defender. As he stooped to make contact his head made awkward contact with the ground, appearing to snap his neck to one side.
MORE: All the latest Tottenham news | Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings
As play continued for the moment, Bentancur laid face-down on the turf, appearing to be unconscious. Before the referee realised the gravity of the situation, teammate Pedro Porro came rushing over to attend to Bentancur and play was stopped.
The Uruguay international received nearly 10 minutes of treatment on the pitch with medical staff from both sides working together, surrounding the player completely. Eventually, he left the pitch on a stretcher, barely visible as a blanket covered his body and an oxygen mask remained over his face. to applause from players on both teams as well as the fans around the stadium.
Spurs confirmed at halftime that Bentancur was conscious and speaking to the medical staff at the stadium. The team update states that he will be taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
MORE: All about new Tottenham goalkeeper signing Antonin Kinsky | Spurs mascot makes hilarious Van Dijk plea
While this update was vague and lacking any kind of diagnosis or severity, it does at least provide a positive early sign that the worst potential outcomes had been avoided.
Out of a sensitivity for the situation, Ange Postecoglou refused to give a further update on Bentancur’s status after the match. “I don’t want to speak,” Postecoglou said to the media after being asked about the injury. “All I know he was conscious. He has been taken to hospital. It’s not my area, it’s not fair on people around him. It was a head injury.”
Bentancur has struggled with injuries since joining Tottenham from Juventus in the 2022 January transfer window.
The worst was an ACL tear suffered in early 2023, keeping him out from February through the end of October. He has also dealt with ankle, groin, and back injuries throughout his time in north London.
