Barnabas Varga’s father has expressed relief after the 29-year-old Hungary forward underwent successful surgery at a hospital in Stuttgart on Monday following a serious facial injury sustained during Hungary’s 1-0 victory over Scotland.
Varga was stretchered off in the second half after a collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Resulting in “several bones” being broken in his face, as confirmed by the Hungarian FA. Sources close to the Hungarian camp revealed that the surgery, conducted around 11am, was successful.
Speaking to Hungarian newspaper Nemzeti Sport, Varga’s father, Andras, who resides in Russia. Provided an update on his son’s condition: “Together with my wife, we are awaiting updates from Barni’s partner. The operation has been completed, and Barni’s partner will continue to provide updates on our son’s condition as needed. We do not yet know when he will be discharged from the hospital in Stuttgart or how long he will need to recover. It’s been a difficult time for the family, watching in front of the television, but now we can breathe a bit easier.”
Liverpool star and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was among the first responders to assist Varga on the field. Helping medical staff with the stretcher after initial delays.
Several Hungary players expressed frustration over the delayed response from the medical team, with Szoboszlai telling MagentaTV: “I was one of the first there. I was shocked. I tried to turn him onto his side. He wanted to get up, but he couldn’t breathe. We need to act faster in situations like this.”
Before the surgery, Hungary’s team doctor, Gergely Panics, expressed hope that Varga would be discharged from the hospital by Wednesday, although his participation in Euro 2024 has been ruled out.
Hungary manager Marco Rossi addressed the incident in his post-match press conference, suggesting that the medical staff might not have initially realized the severity of Varga’s condition, which contributed to the delayed response. Rossi emphasized Varga’s health as the top priority and confirmed that he is not at risk following the operation.
Rossi stated, “Thankfully, he is out of danger. The operation was successful. His health is the most important thing. He will no longer be part of the team if we progress further in the tournament.”
The incident has sparked discussions about the response protocols and player safety in competitive football matches.
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