Liverpool have made changes to the advertising hoardings at Anfield following the freak injury suffered by Galatasaray forward Noa Lang during a Champions League match last month. The Dutch international sustained a deep cut to his thumb after crashing into a board while chasing a ball that went out of play during his side's 4-0 defeat.
The 26-year-old received lengthy treatment on the pitch and was taken to Whiston Hospital for emergency surgery. After the match, Liverpool and UEFA officials investigated the hoarding where the incident occurred. According to The Athletic, work has since been carried out to modify some boards around the goal areas, creating an impact gap to reduce the risk of similar injuries in the future.
Speaking to Dutch outlet Ziggo Sport, Lang said: 'I still have it (my thumb) completely, that's the most important thing. I just can't play PlayStation for a while, but that will come. Luckily, I only need my legs to be able to play football.'
Galatasaray filed an official complaint with UEFA and are considering legal action for compensation. Club general secretary Eray Yazgan told Turkish news outlet HTSport: 'After the match, we lodged a complaint with UEFA representatives. They conducted their investigation. UEFA will evaluate the issue. We are consulting with lawyers. We will submit our compensation claim to UEFA.'
Galatasaray club doctor Yener Ince clarified that there was no complete amputation, but the injury was significant and required urgent surgery, which was successfully performed in Liverpool.
