During Brighton & Hove Albion’s 4-2 Premier League loss to Brentford, defender Jan Paul van Hecke was stretchered off and sent to the hospital. Following a late clash, the centre-back required oxygen and a neck brace.
On a memorable afternoon for Brighton under Fabian Hurzeler, Bryan Mbeumo scored twice before Christian Norgaard and Yoane Wissa completed the win for Thomas Frank’s team. The visitors scored through goals from Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma, but Joao Pedro’s red card in the 61st minute put them in a losing position.
The club’s supporters will be most concerned for Van Hecke’s welfare despite the disappointing outcome of their quest for European football. The club has not yet provided an update on the defender’s condition following his hospitalisation.
Van Hecke, Jan Paul Participating in a Negligent Collisions
Before being carried away on a stretcher, the defender was treated for eight minutes.
Due to Van Hecke’s head injury sustained in a clash with Brentford’s Yunus Konak, the game was postponed for little under ten minutes. Following the Netherlands international’s removal from the pitch on a stretcher, Hurzeler was unable to provide any updates at his post-match press conference.
Fortunately, Konak was allowed to leave the pitch by himself because the situation also required him to withdraw. Van Hecke was lay down and put in a neck brace after initially sitting up as the medical staff treated him on the pitch at G-tech Community Stadium.
According to the Premier League’s concussion rules, the 24-year-old will be sidelined for at least six days if it is determined that he has sustained a concussion. After 110 minutes, the game was finally over, with special attention paid to Van Hecke’s condition.
He had just made his comeback to Brighton’s starting lineup following his suspension for last week’s 2-2 draw at home against Leicester City. This resulted from the red card he received during his most recent game at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.
xz
