Hungary star Barnabas Varga has spoken out for the first time since undergoing surgery for a serious head injury sustained in the Euro 2024 win over Scotland.
Varga was knocked unconscious after colliding with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn during the second-half of Sunday night’s huge game in Stuttgart.
There were worrying scenes as play was halted for some time before the forward was stretched off the pitch, with Hungary going on to win the match in the 100th minute.
After full-time, Hungary’s Football Association announced that Varga was ‘conscious and in a stable condition’ but would ‘most likely undergo surgery’ after breaking several bones in his face.
The 29-year-old’s wife Laura Skrapits has now shared an update on his condition posting a picture on Instagram of herself holding Varga’s hand while in hospital.
It is accompanied by the caption: ‘Thank you for your kind, supportive messages. Barni is over the surgery. A little rest is waiting for him but he’ll be fine!’
The post has since been shared on Varga’s Instagram story.
Meanwhile, Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was critical that medical staff could not sprint onto the field to attend Varga without referee Facundo Tello’s permission.
The Liverpool star took matters into his own hands, running over to grab their stretcher and hurry them to his teammate.
‘I don’t know how it works but if our doctor says we need [to go] immediately to someone to help then I don’t think they should walk,’ he said.
European football’s governing body UEFA have now issued a statement regarding the incident, insisting that all protocols were followed correctly and that they did not delay Varga’s treatment:
‘With regards to the medical intervention following the head injury suffered by Barnabas Varga of Hungary, we would like to clarify that the intervention of the team doctor happened within 15 seconds of the incident, followed immediately by the second stadium doctor, to conduct a first assessment of the injury and provide appropriate treatment, as per customary medical procedures.
‘The qualified pitchside emergency team were waiting pitchside, according to their protocol, and arrived with the stretcher as soon as their intervention was requested by the medics to evacuate the player for his immediate transfer to hospital
‘The coordination between all the medical staff on site was professional and everything was done in accordance with the applicable medical procedures. There was no delay in the treatment of and assistance to the player.’
There was also criticism of UEFA after they showed a replay of the incident while Varga was still receiving treatment and his condition was unknown.
BBC’s presenter for the match Gabby Logan said afterward: ‘We were as shocked as you when they replayed that incident. There are protocols around those kinds of things after Christian Eriksen [collapsed] three years ago.
‘We were very surprised when UEFA chose to show that replay, which is why we cut away immediately to a wide angle as soon as we could.’