t***o 发帖数: 779 | | t***o 发帖数: 779 | 2 AC Milan's veteran midfielder Gennaro Gattuso insists his career is not over
despite being blind in one eye.
Gennaro Gattuso: Blind in left eye
GettyImagesGennaro Gattuso: Blind in left eye
• Blog: The Prince of Milan
Gattuso suffered a paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve following a
collision with team-mate Alessandro Nesta that has left the 33-year-old
without sight in his left eye.
The Italian has not played since being substituted in Milan's opening Serie
A game against Lazio on September 9 but has vowed to come back from the
career-threatening injury.
"Football is my life,'' Gattuso said. "I'm a lucky man. Three weeks ago
doctors told me there was a chance I might never play again, but now they
are saying that is not the case and I will fight hard to return.
"For a while I was seriously scared about my health and worried for my life.
But now I have undergone several tests I'm calmer. It'll take more than
this to beat me. The important thing is to not give up.
"I feel an important part of the dressing room here. I feel respected after
playing here for so long. My team-mates know I'm full of enthusiasm, so age
is certainly not a problem.
"As long as the enthusiasm is there, I can keep playing. I hope you will see
me back on the football pitch.''
The 2006 World Cup winner, who has been at Milan since 1999, will be out for
at least a further six months.
"In 25% of cases the palsy of the sixth optic nerve occurs for unknown
reasons,'' explained Milan's chief medical officer Rodolfo Tavana. "Often
this kind of problem clears up by itself in a period of two to six months.''
Former Rangers midfielder Gattuso hopes his condition, which has affected
his daily life, will improve.
"Before I had triple vision, now I see double,'' he said. "There has been
some improvement. I can train, but I can't play because I can't see well
enough.
"Right now I can't send an email, I can't watch TV, I can't drive and it's
tough not to be able to take my children to school.
"I will need to wait another four months before an operation can take place
to resolve everything.
"The important thing is to get back to normal life and to come out of this
stronger than ever.'' | l*******o 发帖数: 12469 | | i*****e 发帖数: 792 | |
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