Barnabas Varga has shared his first update from hospital after sustaining multiple broken bones in a sickening collision during Hungary’s Euro 2024 match with Scotland on Monday.
The 29-year-old, who suffered facial fractures in the brutal clash with Scotland’s goalkeeper Angus Gunn as his wife Laura Skrapits watched on from the stands.
Varga has now shared an emotional message posted by Skrapits on his social media account.
The message included a photo of Skrapits holding Varga’s hand at his bedside.
Skrapits confirmed that Varga is now recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery.
Barnabas Varga has shared his first update since being injured in a shocking collision on Sunday
Varga shared a post by his wife Laura Skrapits confirming his is recovering from surgery
‘Thank you for your kind, supportive messages,’ Skrapits wrote.
‘Barni is over the surgery. A little rest is waiting for him but he’ll be fine!’
Skrapits, a 27-year-old beautician, had witnessed her husband’s horrific injury first hand having travelled to Germany to support her partner and the national team’s European campaign.
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With the game goalless and both teams hunting for an opener, Varga collided with Scotland goalkeeper Gunn as he attempted to collect the ball in the 67th minute of last night’s Group A fixture.
The severity of the 29-year-old’s injury was immediately made apparent by the reaction of his teammates who hurriedly motioned medical staff onto the pitch.
Varga lay motionless on the ground as he received medical attention, and the game was paused for seven minutes before he was removed from the pitch on a stretcher and rushed to hospital in Stuttgart.
Hungary head coach Marco Rossi noted in his post-match press conference that Varga was stable and conscious in hospital.
Gergely Panics, the team doctor for his club side Ferencvaros, had given an update on the forward’s condition earlier on Monday.
Barnabas Varga is seen with his Laura Skrapits
Skrapits was forced to watch the entire incident from the stands
The 27-year-old beautician saw the moment her husband suffered the savage blow firsthand as she sat alongside other Hungarian WAGs in the stadium in Stuttgart
‘Barni suffered a concussion during the collision and lost consciousness,’ Panics revealed to Hungarian outlet Magyar Nemzet.
‘By the time he reached the ambulance, he had already regained consciousness, after which he was taken to the clinic in Stuttgart, where, after the examination, a therapeutic plan was drawn up, according to which he would be operated on.
‘Our striker suffered multiple facial skull fractures, several smaller and larger bones were broken in his face, and some were even dislocated.
‘After the operation, he will be kept in for two days. If everything goes well, he will be released on Wednesday.’
Panics refused to be drawn on claims the medical team were slow to treat Varga on Sunday.
Varga’s beautician wife Skrapits had watched at the Stuttgart Arena throughout the ordeal on the pitch.
The pair met in their home village of Szentpeterfa in Hungary, though they now live in Budapest where Ferencvaros is based.
Varga and Skrapits had previously kept their personal life guarded from fans, but in the wake of last night’s incident Laura made her social media profile public amid the flurry of well-wishes and shared several snaps of the pair’s adventures together.
In an earlier interview with Goal.com, Varga said their relationship: ‘We have known each other [for a long time], which is the most natural thing there, everyone in the village knows everyone.
Varga is seen completing a puzzle of him celebrating on with pitch with Skrapits
‘My partner’s parents live a few hundred metres from mine. We can walk to them.
‘I like being here, I feel that once I stop playing football, I will move back to Szentpeterfa.’
After criticism from Varga’s team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai, UEFA have insisted that there wasn’t any delay in the treatment to the stricken player.
UEFA stated that the team doctor intervened within 15 seconds of the incident occurring, with the pitchside emergency team being called upon as soon as they were requested.
A statement from UEFA read: ‘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.’
With a goalless draw likely to see both teams eliminated from the tournament, Kevin Csoboth finished off a counterattack deep into stoppage-time to fire Hungary to victory and give them a chance at progressing from Group A.
