(Paris) Paris Saint-Germain substitute goalkeeper Sergio Rico is hospitalized in “serious condition” after a riding accident in Andalusia, the club learned on Sunday.
“He is in serious condition,” a PSG spokesperson said.
“Sergio is in good hands and is struggling to recover,” the player’s family said in a statement posted on social media later that evening. “He is receiving the best care, we must proceed with caution, especially for the next 48 hours.”
According to the daily Marca, the Spanish international is in stable condition.
Victim of a craniocerebral trauma, Rico was transported by helicopter to the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville, where he was placed on life support, according to the local television channel Canal Sur.
According to his family’s statement, the accident happened when the horse he was riding “went out of control” due to a “cart being pulled by mules”.
Present on the bench on Saturday evening in Strasbourg for the match which crowned PSG champion of France, the Spanish goalkeeper went to Andalusia overnight “with the agreement of the club”, specifies the family.
He was the victim of this riding accident near his home, at the El Rocio parties, in Huelva (southwest of Spain), according to the same media.
According to the message from his family, Rico was hit by a horse that got out of control.
Crowned best player in the French Championship on Sunday evening, his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappé wanted “above all” to send his “most sincere thoughts for Sergio Rico. There are much more important things than football, the whole club is with him.”
PSG “remains in constant contact with its loved ones”, is it written on the club’s Twitter account. “The entire Red and Blue community is supporting him.”
Arrived in 2019 at PSG from Sevilla FC, Sergio Rico, 29, a selection, played 24 games for the Parisian club. He was loaned out to Mallorca for the second half of last season.
