UEFA issues statement responding to Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai criticism at Euro 2024

Dominik Szoboszlai was involved in an eventful game as he kept his Euro 2024 hopes alive against Scotland at the expense of Andy Robertson. Hungary won 1-0 thanks to a goal 10 minutes into stoppage time, but the match was marred by a scary injury suffered by forward Barnabas Varga; the medical response left the Liverpool star unimpressed, but UEFA has now made a statement.

It was immediately evident that Szoboszlai was unhappy with the reaction of the medical team to Varga's collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn. He sprinted over to the stretcher-bearers to try and hurry them over to the scene of the injury, and was seen in tears shortly after the distressing incident.

Fortunately, Varga is now stable and conscious, although it has been confirmed that he will need to undergo an operation. After the match, Szoboszlai expanded upon his dissatisfaction with the speed of treatment.

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"He needs some surgery on his face and his nose," he said, per the ECHO. "I think he's going to have the surgery tomorrow (Monday). It looked bad, it was bad, he felt bad.

"I don't really know the protocol or how it works but if our doctors say we need someone immediately to help, then I don't think they should walk. It's not my decision, but I think we need to change something. Even if somebody is on the ground, and you see that it was a big [collision], then just go on [the pitch].

"Even if the referee is saying don't go on. Just go on. And if you see it's nothing serious, then you can just go down and it's finished. Seconds can help a lot."

But in a statement made to the ECHO, UEFA has insisted that the response to Varga's injury was adequate: "With regards to the medical intervention following the head injury suffered by Barnabás Varga of Hungary, 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 statement read.

"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."

Liverpool.com says: The main thing, of course, is that Varga has not sustained any life-threatening injuries. But UEFA should nonetheless always be looking to streamline its processes to ensure medical attention is received as quickly as possible.

At the same time, nothing was ever going to be quick enough for Szoboszlai and his Hungary teammates, who were left visibly shaken by the injury. There's nothing wrong with UEFA defending the medical response, but nor was it unnatural for the Liverpool man to hit out at it, having just witnessed something so traumatic.