Barnabas Varga: First picture emerges of Hungary player after horror clash against Scotland

Barnabas Varga has been visited in hospital by the Hungary manager and staff, with the first pictures now emerging of the player who suffered serious facial injuries against Scotland.

Varga was taken to hospital during Hungary’s 1-0 win on Sunday night after a sickening collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn left him with facial fractures.

The match was paused for almost seven minutes as a result of the clash, which has led to accusations from Hungary that medical staff did not move with enough urgency.

Varga has now been visited in Stuttgart by Marco Rossi, the Hungary coach, and members of the national team’s backroom staff. Endre Botka, the Hungary defender, also attended on behalf of the players.

The collision with Gunn’s elbow, as the players challenged for an aerial ball, left Varga with concussion and several broken bones in his face.

Hungary’s players were furious during the game that medical staff had not reacted more quickly to the injury, with captain Dominik Szoboszlai eventually snatching the stretcher off medics and racing to Varga’s side.

“I was one of the first people there,” Szoboszlai told Magenta TV. “I was shocked myself, I tried to put him on his side, which is actually the best thing you can do in situations like this. He couldn’t get enough air.

“I have no idea what the protocol is, whether people are not allowed to run onto the pitch if we need help, but… You could see that it’s a huge problem. Everyone was running, I was running – these things add up to seconds.

“It’s not my decision, but we have to change something about it. We have to do it faster, much faster. Everyone knows that seconds add up.”

On Monday, Uefa defended the “medical intervention”, saying: “We would like to clarify that the intervention of the team doctor happened within 15 seconds of the incident, followed immediately by the second stadium doctor, to conduct a first assessment of the injury and provide appropriate treatment, as per customary medical procedures.

“The qualified pitchside emergency team were waiting pitchside, according to their protocol, and arrived with the stretcher as soon as their intervention was requested by the medics to evacuate the player for his immediate transfer to hospital.

“The coordination between all the medical staff on site was professional and everything was done in accordance with the applicable medical procedures. There was no delay in the treatment of and assistance to the player.”