Istanbul (AFP) – Galatasaray’s Norwegian international defender Omar Elabdellaoui has been hospitalised with eye injuries after an accident with fireworks in New Year’s Eve celebrations, the doctor treating him said Friday.
Elabdellaoui injured both his eyes, according to Dr. Vedat Kaya of the Liv hospital.
While the Norwegian has not lost his sight, one eye was much more seriously injured than the other, Kaya said, adding that the player was “better today” but that it was too early to write off potential long-term consequences.
According to Turkish media, Elabdellaoui suffered burns to his face after a firework exploded in his hands at his home during celebrations to mark the end of 2020.
Elabdellaoui, 29, began his senior career at Manchester City although he did not make a competitive appearance for the Premier League club, instead going out on loan with Stromsgodset, Feyenoord and Eintracht Braunschweig.
He sealed a permanent move to Braunschweig, spending a year there before joining Olympiakos in 2014, with a brief loan period with Hull City in the Premier League. He joined Galatasaray in August.
