Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke has been discharged from the hospital after a scary collision with Brentford midfielder Yunus Konak during their 4-2 Premier League loss on Saturday. Van Hecke needed oxygen and was put in a neck brace after the incident, which occurred late in the match.
The 24-year-old Dutch international initially sat up after the collision but was quickly laid back down by medical staff after they noticed a problem. He was stretchered off and replaced by Eiran Cashin.
Brighton issued a statement on Saturday night, saying, “Jan Paul van Hecke was taken to hospital as a precaution but has now been discharged and is on his way back to Brighton.” The club thanked fans for their messages of concern and support.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler expressed relief that Van Hecke is okay, saying, “We hope that he will be back on the pitch as soon as possible. Hopefully he will have a good recovery.” Brentford manager Thomas Frank also expressed concern for Van Hecke’s well-being, saying he was more worried about the Brighton player than Konak.
The match itself was a chaotic affair, with Brighton going down to 10 men after Joao Pedro was shown a straight red card for violent conduct. Despite a late goal from Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton couldn’t mount a comeback, losing 4-2.
Hurzeler took accountability for Brighton’s decline and fading European hopes, saying, “In the end, I am responsible for that, I have to find the right solutions.” He acknowledged that the team is struggling with availability, connections on the pitch, and individual mistakes.
