After an Achilles tendon rupture during EM
It’s July 2, 2021 – the quarter-finals of the European Championship 2020 between Belgium and Italy, which has been postponed by one year, are taking place in Munich’s Allianz Arena. After 90 minutes, the later tournament winners, the “Squadra Azzurra” should prevail with 2:1 – but lose one of the previous cornerstones in coach Roberto Mancini’s system: After 79 minutes, left-back Leonardo Spinazzola had to leave the field in tears. The 29-year-old had previously had to stop a running duel with Dortmund’s Thorgan Hazard because of sudden severe pain in his foot. The diagnosis: Achilles tendon rupture. This Thursday, 286 days later, Spinazzola could make his comeback for AS Roma.
Giallorossi coach José Mourinho had called the offensive defender back into the squad for the first time in the 2-1 win against Serie A bottom team Salernitana. Before the quarter-final second leg against Norwegian champions FK Bodø/Glimt (9 p.m.; first leg 1-2), Spinazzola surrendered “Sky” in Italy: “I hope I can end the season well and that we win the remaining games. The goal is to be as high up in the league as possible. And I hope that we can get through against Bodø on Thursday. Then we’ll try to play a great final in the Conference League.”
In front of a full house in the Stadio Olimpico, Spinazzola could then appear again for the first time since April 25, 2021: In preparation for the European Championship, the 18-time national player had already been absent due to an injury to the hamstring muscle. Speaking of his serious injury, Spinazzola said: “I had moments where I said I’ll never go back to where I was before, I won’t be able to do certain things like before – because I saw everything dark and everything black I thanked his wife in particular for her help: “She was unbelievable during these months. I cried several times, especially when I couldn’t do things. It was like banging your head against a stone wall that wouldn’t crumble.”
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