Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke has been hospitalized after a collision with Brentford’s Yunus Konak during their 4-2 Premier League loss. The match was stopped in stoppage time after Van Hecke clashed heads with Konak, leaving him unconscious and requiring oxygen.
Van Hecke briefly regained consciousness and sat up before being stretchered off with a neck brace. Konak was substituted but was able to walk off the field.
Brighton’s head coach, Fabian Hurzeler, expressed concern for Van Hecke’s well-being, saying, “We hope he will have a good recovery.” A Brighton spokesperson confirmed that Van Hecke has been taken to the hospital for tests.
According to Premier League concussion guidelines, Van Hecke won’t be allowed to return to play for at least six days if he’s diagnosed with a concussion. Brighton will assess his progress ahead of their next match against West Ham.
The match itself saw Brentford dominate, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring early and Yoane Wissa adding a third after Danny Welbeck had equalized for Brighton. Joao Pedro’s red card hampered Brighton’s chances, but they showed character in response, with Kaoru Mitoma scoring late to give them hope before Christian Norgaard sealed the win for Brentford.
