Former Man City defender Omar Elabdellaoui makes return to football

Former Man City defender Omar Elabdellaoui makes sensational return to football more than a year after being left clinically blind in one eye

  • Omar Elabdellaoui made a sensational return to football on Monday evening 
  • Ex-Man City man was left clinically blind in one eye after 2020 New Year party 
  • Elabdellaoui played 90 minutes of Galatasaray’s win over Goztepe yesterday 

 Former Manchester City and Hull City defender Omar Elabdellaoui made a sensational return to football this week, as he played all 90 minutes of Galatasaray’s Super Lig win.

The 30-year-old defender, who played with Harry Maguire and Andy Robertson during his time at Hull, was left clinically blind in one eye when a firework exploded in his face during a New Years Eve party back in 2020.

Over year and 11 surgeries later, the Norwegian full-back completed a remarkable recovery and returned to footballing action on Monday evening.

Omar Eladbellaoui made a sensational return to football after being left blind in one eye

Former Man City defender suffered injury as a result of a firework going off at a New Year party

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Elabdellaoui opened up on the struggles he faced when the incident first occurred.

‘I just thought I had something in my eye and had to clear it out but then I felt my face totally burning and everything was black. 

‘Because of all the gunpowder my face was burned. I think it was difficult for them to say how bad it was straight away. In one moment I grabbed the doctor to say: ‘Just tell me the truth, tell me how bad it is.’

The Norwegian defender spent a large amount of his recovery time in America, where doctors told him he had a 5-10% chance of regaining his sight – let alone return to a football pitch.

Omar Elabdellaoui is pictured challenging for a header on his return game for Galatasaray

The 30-year-old defied belief by making his comeback on Monday evening as Galatasaray picked up their first win of 2022 away to Goztepe. 

Elabdellaoui told beIN SPORTS after the game: ‘I went through a difficult process. It was a difficult injury. I struggled a lot.

‘I’m back on the field and doing what I love most. It’s my dream come true for the second time. It felt like I started football for the second time.’

Elabdellaoui’s next opportunity to play will be against Rizespor on Sunday in the Super Lig




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