Croatian footballer and Atletico Madrid defender Šime Vrsaljko received praise for saving his fellow teammates life in the La Liga match last night against La Coruna Deportivo.
Riazor stadium fell silent last night during the 85th minute when Atletico player Fernando Torres suffered a brutal blow to the head. While most of the players on the pitch couldn’t bear to watch, Šime Vrsaljko and teammate Gabi did not doubt the severity of the scene for a second, reports Index.hr on March 3, 2017.
Both players immediately rushed to Torres’ side. As Torres was clearly unconscious, with quick thinking, Vrsaljko and Gabi made sure they pulled the tongue out from his mouth to ensure he did not suffocate. The reflex from Torres at one point even bit the hand of Gabi. Both Vrsaljko and Gabi are responsible for essentially saving the life of Torres until the medical team arrived on the pitch.
"It's really amazing how they reacted in such a shocking moment. Šime did a fantastic job," said the Deportivo doctor who was the first medic to approach the injury.
Vrsaljko’s quick and attentive reaction thrilled the fans of Atletico, who praised him on Twitter with dozens of messages of support and thanks.
"They are our heroes”, "Vrsaljko saved Torres' life”, "Šime was the man of the match", are just some of the comments by Atletico fans.
Fortunately, Torres spent the night in the hospital, is stable, and should soon be released.
Bravo, Šime!
