Sports Doctor Explains Rodrigo Bentancur Injury After Analysing Footage.
Renowned sports doctor Brian Sutterer has provided an explanation of what happened to Rodrigo Bentancur after the Tottenham midfielder seemingly collapsed without contact during his team’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool. Ange Postecoglou’s side narrowly defeated the Reds, putting them in a strong position ahead of the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield next month, where they will aim to face the winner of Arsenal vs. Newcastle in the final.
However, the path to victory wasn’t without its troubles. Earlier in the match, Bentancur leapt to head Pedro Porro’s corner but appeared to land awkwardly, remaining motionless on the pitch as play continued. It quickly became clear that Bentancur needed urgent medical attention, and medics rushed to his side as players urged them to move swiftly. The 27-year-old received treatment on the field for nine minutes before being stretchered off to applause from both sets of fans.
Thankfully, after the Uruguayan international was given an oxygen mask and taken to the hospital, the club shared a reassuring update, confirming that the midfielder was conscious and able to speak. Now, a sports doctor has reviewed the footage to provide a closer analysis of the incident.
Sports Doctor Provides Explanation About Bentancur Collapse
There is nothing abnormal about the incident
On his YouTube channel, Brian Sutterer begins his analysis by reassuring viewers that, contrary to popular belief, there was nothing unusual about the cause or manner of Bentancur’s collapse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “It’s very clear, he hits his head, loses consciousness, and we’re dealing with a concussion,” he explained, before continuing:
“As he goes to head the ball, because he’s rotating his head so much to the side, he gets his body into an awkward position. He loses all sense of where he is, and then hits his head on the ground. This isn’t a sudden cardiac collapse or anything, it’s a concussion.”
While footage shared on social media showed Bentancur moving his jaw in an unusual way, it sparked speculation that his subsequent collapse was somehow inevitable. However, Sutterer dismissed these claims, stating that nothing leading up to the collapse was “a mystery” and suggested that the jaw movement was likely just a quirk or tick of Bentancur’s, unrelated to the incident.
He also explained that there was no need for his teammates to get his head in a certain position to avoid him choking. “This is something we frequently see in the sports world,” he added. “A teammate goes down, collapses, injures themselves, and understandably, people are concerned, they want to go help, so they go roll the person over.
“There’s a fear they will choke on their tongue, which is not actually anything you need to worry about in these situations. DON’T do this. If you are a player, you have medical staff there to assist. You can’t be certain whether it’s a neck problem, and you don’t want to suddenly and aggressively turn them over and roll them around.”
Sutterer wraps up his analysis by examining two images that illustrate how Bentancur should and should not have been handled after his collapse. It’s a fascinating watch, and Tottenham will be awaiting further updates to determine how long the Uruguayan will be sidelined.
