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EPA
Schaer had swallowed his tongue
A Switzerland football player knocked out in an aerial clash in a Euro 2020 qualifier received emergency help from a member of rival team Georgia.
Fabian Schaer’s head collided with the skull of Georgia’s Jemal Tabidze as both went for the ball in the 24th minute of the match in Tbilisi.
Schaer lay unconscious on the ground, his tongue stuck down his throat.
Georgian player Jano Ananidze rushed to his aid, inserting his hand in Schaer’s mouth to free the player’s tongue.
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Reuters
Schaer recovered quickly after further treatment from Swiss first-aiders, Swiss daily Blick reports, and was able to continue playing, helping set up Switzerland’s second-half goals for their 2:0 victory.
“It looks awful. I can’t remember anything,” the Newcastle player told the paper after being shown video footage. “I was out for a few seconds. My skull is still humming. And I’ve got neck ache and a bruise on my forehead. But it was worth it.”
Tabidze also lay motionless after the clash, his shirt covered in blood, but he, too, recovered.
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EPA
Georgia’s Jemal Tabidze was on the other end of the clash