Wolves striker Raul Jimenez has undergone surgery to treat a fractured skull which he developed after a head clash with Arsenal’s defender David Luiz.
On Sunday, Arsenal and Wolves met at the Emirate Stadium to play their 10th Premier League match which ended 2-1 in favor of Wolves. In the first half of the match, Arsenal had a corner kick to take and David Luiz was inside Wolves’ box eighteen to challenge for the ball; In the process of doing so, the 33-year-old Brazilian defender had a head clash with Raul Jimenez.
The 29-year-old Mexican striker was attended to on the field for about 10 minutes including the period he had to be given oxygen. Afterward, he was stretched out of the field and then taken to a hospital for further medical care.
We know you’ll come out stronger from this!!💪🏽🐺
— Mexican National Team (@miseleccionmxEN) November 30, 2020
México and the whole world is right beside you!!🇲🇽🤜🏽🔥🤛🏽
Get well soon buddy, @Raul_Jimenez9!!🙏🏽🙏🏽#FuerzaRaúl pic.twitter.com/9LbPOlkYmV
While Arsenal’s David Luiz continued with the match with a bandage wrapped around his head before he was substituted in the second half.
In a statement Wolves issued on Monday after the surgery on Raul Jimenez’s fractured skull, the Premier League 6th placed club confirmed that Raul Jimenez was “comfortable following an operation last night (Sunday)”.
“He has since seen his partner Daniela and is now resting”, the statement added. “He will remain under observation for a few days while he begins his recovery.
“The club would like to thank the medical staff at Arsenal, the NHS paramedics, hospital staff and surgeons who, through their skill and early response, were of such help.”
In the reaction of Wolves’ football manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, the Portuguese coach described the incident as “a bad moment”.
“What was the reaction? Panic, panic, panic. You could see the faces of the team-mates. It was a serious situation. It’s awful and terrible.”
Wolves captain Conor Coady said: “We were massively worried when it happened. We knew straight away it was a horrible clash of heads.
“But we just hope and pray everything is OK because it’s something we never want to see.
“He is with the right people now and that’s the most important thing. He is in hospital and, by all accounts, he is awake and breathing.”
While Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: “I was shocked because I saw the reaction of the players – they were asking the doctors. We were really worried about Raul Jimenez because it was nasty.”
Raul Jimenez who could be out of football for a couple of months due to the fractured skull has played 10 Premier League matches including the match against Arsenal, and he has scored 4 league goals so far this season.
He joined Wolves permanently on July 1, 2019, for a transfer fee worth €38 million from a Portuguese side, Benfica. He currently has 4 years left on his contract with Wolves.
A win for @Raul_Jimenez9.
— Wolves (@Wolves) November 30, 2020
💛 pic.twitter.com/kdx7xMmcw5
