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Bandage around the head: Liverpool's Thiago
Photo: Catherine Ivill / Getty Images
Thiago was on the ground, his face on the grass, his hands on the back of his head: The collision in the header duel with two opponents was violent, Liverpool's playmaker looked worn out, he had to be treated longer.
A few minutes later, he was back in the top game of his Reds against Tottenham Hotspur (3-1).
A bandage had been wrapped around his skull.
The former Munich resident continued for more than 20 minutes before he was finally replaced.
Whether Thiago was seriously injured or got off lightly is open.
It is no secret, however, that violent clashes can occur on the football fields.
Head injuries on the pitch are a problem.
One that English football is now addressing and adapting its rules for it.
"The well-being of the players is paramount"
In the future, players should be allowed to be replaced if they suffer head injuries - regardless of whether the team concerned has already exhausted the transfer contingent or not.
Two such »Concussion Substitutions« are allowed per team.
If a team should have to make use of this, their opponent may also change - this should probably avoid a possible conditional or other advantage arising from the additional change.
First the portal "The Athletic" reported about it, the English FA and the Premier League confirmed the report at the request of SPIEGEL.
"The well-being of the players is in the foreground," said the reason.
The rule change will apply from February 6th in the Premier League, the Women's Super League and Women's Championship, as well as the FA Cup.
First of all, it is on a trial basis. England's football is used as a test run after consultation with the Ifab, the board that determines global rule changes in football.
According to the German press agency, the "Football Commission" of the German Football League wants to adjust the change rule, which is true according to SPIEGEL information.
In contrast to the Premier League, five substitutions are possible in the Bundesliga during the corona pandemic.
Considerations regarding such a rule change had already been made public in England in December.
Previously, Arsenal's David Luiz and Wolverhampton's Raúl Jimenez had collided with their heads.
Jimenez suffered a fractured skull and has not been used since then, Luiz continued to play with a head bandage.
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Schalke's Mark Uth will be treated in the game against Augsburg
Photo:
CHRISTOF STACHE / AFP
There have also been serious collisions in the Bundesliga recently.
Schalke's Mark Uth lost consciousness in mid-December after a header duel and had to go to hospital.
These are particularly noticeable head injuries that make it impossible to continue.
Also dangerous are injuries that lead to concussions, for example, that are not recognized directly and allow the footballers to continue playing.
These occur more frequently than the particularly nasty collisions, but are hardly less dangerous, especially in terms of their long-term consequences.
Especially since experience has shown that many professional coaches find it difficult to replace important players if they are not forced to.
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