Head clash sidelines Boumsong
Monday, February 23, 2004
Article summary
AJ Auxerre defender Jean-Alain Boumsong is out of Thursday's UEFA Cup match against Panathinaikos FC.
Article body
'I was frightened'
The 24-year-old French international only recently returned to action after recovering from a knee injury but is now facing another spell on the sidelines after a clash of heads with Bastia's Allou Diarra forced him to leave the pitch in a daze. "I was frightened,” he admitted. "I was knocked completely cold. First I saw double then nothing at all. I went to hospital and had a scan and an x-ray which confirmed the break."
Potential operation
He could even miss the second leg in Athens next month. "I expect to be out for a number of weeks," he said. "As well as the fracture, I have a small cranial trauma and a massive headache. In the immediate future I will have to see a specialist who will decide whether I will need an operation."
Rangers move
Boumsong is set to move to Rangers FC at the end of the season after signing a pre-contract agreement with the Scottish champions. It was his winning goal in the French Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain FC last season that booked Auxerre's place in the UEFA Cup.