Rabat – During the 2–2 draw between Olympique de Marseille and Angers SCO on Wednesday, midfielder Bilal Nadir collapsed on the pitch, leaving everyone worried. The coach and his teammates have since given fans the all-clear: the tests were fine.
Bilal Nadir came out on the pitch in the 76th minute as a substitute collapsed around the 86th minute when the ball was out of play. The young Moroccan international fell to the ground before being put in the recovery position by both his teammates and opponents. He was then evacuated on a stretcher and replaced by Pol Lirola (89th). The scenes were scary and worrying in Ligue 1 last night.
Medical staff reacted quickly and Nadir immediately left the stadium and was taken to hospital for further checks.
Positive updates for Bilal Nadir
“He lost consciousness and went to the hospital for tests and checks. We’re all worried but we hope it’s nothing serious,” said Roberto De Zerbi in his post-match press conference.
According to French outlet L’Équipe, the tests at the hospital were positive news. The 21-year-old is stable and fine.“He’s fine. For me, that’s the most important thing,” said teammate Matt O’Riley in the mixed zone after the match. “It was a shock for everyone when we saw him on the ground but he’s fine and we wish him all the best.”
Although it was scary, it was more fear than harm for Bilal Nadir. The incident reminded us how important on-pitch medical care is for professional footballers, even for young and healthy players.
Marseille will monitor Nadir’s recovery before deciding when he can play again but the main news is comforting: Bilal Nadir is fine. The team and his loved ones can breathe a sigh of relief.
