Former Liverpool star Fabio Aurelio was left hospitalized after representing the club’s legends team against Ajax at Anfield recently. Liverpool won the legends game 4-2, but Aurelio sustained injuries trying to prevent a goal.
The Brazilian sustained five cracked ribs and a punctured lung when he collided with ex-Ajax player Kiki Musampa. He had to be taken to Aintree University Hospital, where he had to stay the night. The former Liverpool and Valencia winger was unable to fly home until over a week later.
Fabio Aurelio estuvo presente en el partido de ayuda a LFC Foundation ante Ajax del 23 de Marzo✅️
Ese día sufrió una lesión que lo dejó con 5 costillas rotas y un pulmón perforado, tuvo que estar hospitalizado en la ciudad una semana y recién hoy podrá volver a Brasil🤕 pic.twitter.com/9QvgPc70Ik
— La Taberna de Bill y Bob #Liverpool (@TabernaBillyBob) April 3, 2024
The likes of Steven Gerrard, Ryan Babel, Martin Skrtel, Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger, and Fernando Torres also lined up for a Liverpool team that was coached by ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson. Aurelio sustained the injury late in the first half after trying to prevent Kiki Musampa from scoring.
Aurelio told The Athletic, “I just tried to make the block, and as he followed through after shooting, he ended up hitting me with his knee. You don’t expect an accident like that to happen in a Legends match, but when you go out there in front of 60,000 people, the competitive streak comes out.”
He added, “I couldn’t fly back last week because of the damage to my lung. At the start, the doctors said I would need to wait three weeks, so I was a bit scared, but the specialist saw the X-rays a few days ago and said it has settled down. The lung is OK, and with the ribs, it’s just a matter of time for them to heal.”
Aurelio will return to work as an agent in Brazil with his firm NG Soccer.
