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Horrifying scenes broke out in the 56th minute of the ISL second leg semi-final encounter between Bengaluru FC and Northeast United FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium as an ambulance came all the way down to the playing field to take Federico Gallego to a nearby hospital. The Uruguayan forward had tracked back to help his defence but had little clue that it would be his last contribution to the game.
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Dimas Delgado intercepted a through ball from the Northeast United midfield and passed it on to Xisco Hernandez. The Spaniard spotted Miku's run on the counter and delivered a defence-splitting pass which pierced through the two center-backs.
However, Mato Grgic's keen positioning sense ensured the Venezuelan wasn't one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Miku, already inside the box, cut through the Croatian to make the angle better but, Federico Gallego's brave lunging sliding challenge didn't even let the ball fly in the air.
But, the clattering sound of Gallego and Miku's ankles colliding left the entire players in the ground in a state of shock. They knew something grave had occurred and, referee Hamad Ali Yousef Abdulla Alali immediately signalled for the medical personnel.
While the pain relief spray did the trick for Miku, Federico Gallego couldn't even stand up and had to be stretchered off to the ambulance.
All the cheering and hooting from the Bengaluru FC fans stopped as they understood this could be the last time Federico Gallego was playing football. An official statement from the Northeast United FC management revealed that he sustained serious injuries and, the impending grave possibility couldn't be neglected.
"He suffered multiple fractures to the shin bone and is currently undergoing surgery. We will provide updates as and when we receive official confirmations from the doctors."
Both Bengaluru and Northeast United fans showered praise on Federico Gallego for the wonderful season he had had and prayed for a speedy recovery. Here is how they reacted:
