Dominik Szoboszlai has slammed the slow response from medical staff after his teammate Barnabas Varga suffered a grave injury during Hungary’s Euro 2024 win over Scotland.
Varga was involved in a horrific collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn, which left the 29-year-old Hungarian lying motionless in the penalty area.
Both sets of players immediately gestured for medical attention and then held up sheets to shield Varga from view as he was tended to and stretchered off by medics, with the game being paused for around seven minutes.
The striker is now in a stable condition and Hungary manager Marco Rossi has confirmed he will need surgery for a facial fracture and will miss the remainder of Euro 2024.
But Hungary captain and Liverpool midfielder Szoboszlai was not satisfied with the way the incident was dealt with.
Medical staff were seen walking toward the injured player after the collision and he specifically criticised the delay in response time.
“He’s okay, he’s in hospital,” he said after the game.
“He needs some surgery on his face and nose but, yeah, he’s going to have the surgery tomorrow.
“It looked bad, it was bad, he felt bad.
“I don’t really know what the protocol is. I don’t know how it works but if our doctor says we need (to go on) immediately to someone to help, then I don’t think they should walk.
“It’s not my decision but I think we need to change something that even if somebody is on the ground and you see that it was a big crash then just go in, even if the referee is saying don’t come in. Just go in.
‘”And if you see that it’s nothing serious, then you can just go down and it’s finished.
“But seconds can help a lot.”
Fans have echoed his criticism on social media with some specifically asking why provisions were not better given that Christian Eriksen suffered a life-threatening cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
One wrote: “Its weird that after 2021 there does not seem to be a protocol for these urgent medical emergencies….the fact that Szoboszlai had to pull the stretcher on the pitch himself is absolutely insane.”
Another added: “Sincerely, sincerely wish Barnabás Varga a full and safe recovery. His teammates were brilliant in detecting he needed treatment straight away but the slowness of the medical team to get on the pitch was so concerning. Safety and welfare of the players should be highest priority.”
A third wrote: “UEFA need to seriously address how slow those medics were in getting on the pitch with that stretcher. Szoboszlai brilliant there, but shouldn’t have to be! Hoping Varga makes a full recovery.”
Hungary went on to win the match in the tenth minute of added time after a goal from Kevin Csoboth.
It means they earned a crucial three points which may still be enough to secure their progression to the knockout stages as one of the four best third-place finishers.
But for Scotland and their Tartan Army, Euro 2024 is over.
They will be heading home as the wait for a knockout game at a major tournament goes on.
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