Tottenham have confirmed Jan Vertonghen had “no ill effects” following the head injury he sustained on Tuesday night.
The Belgium defender was left bloodied after a collision with team-mate Toby Alderweireld while attempting to beat Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana to the ball in the first-half of the semi-final first leg encounter.
Tottenham insist FA concussion guidelines were followed both when he was initially assessed on the pitch and throughout and has now confirmed the player appears to be fine after further assessment.
Vertonghen will continue to be monitored in the coming few days and is set to see a neurologist on Thursday as an additional precaution.
On the injury, Vertonghen tweeted: “Not the way I wanted the game to go last night. Feeling OK today. Thanks to both sets of fans for the positive messages.”
The incident has led to Brain injury charity Headway calling for football’s authorities to urgently review concussion protocols within the sport in order to assist medical staff in the assessment of players.
Headway spokesperson Luke Griggs said: “It is hugely disappointing that we are once again talking about concussion rather than the game itself.
“Concussion is notoriously difficult to diagnose. The symptoms may be hidden and require the individual to be honest about how they’re feeling, while they can also be delayed in their presentation.
“Assessing a player for three minutes – or even five, as was the case with Jan Vertonghen – does not allow for medical staff to make a reliable diagnosis, particularly when this is conducted on the pitch under the gaze of tens of thousands of fans eager for the game to resume.
“The pressure on club medical staff is enormous and unfair, particularly in such high-stakes games such as a Champions League semi-final.
(Sky Sports)
