Alen Halilović (foto: Screenshot)
The Croatian midfielder was left stunned by a brutal challenge that went unpunished in Fortuna Sittard’s win over Heracles Almelo.
Alen Halilović suffered a horrific injury in Fortuna Sittard’s 1-0 victory over Heracles Almelo in the 25th round of the Eredivisie. The 28-year-old Croatian was on the receiving end of a reckless challenge from Mats Rots, which left him with a deep leg wound that required multiple stitches.
The disturbing incident
The moment occurred in the 28th minute when Rots lost control of the ball and then lunged into Halilović with his boot raised. The impact was severe, and Halilović’s scream of pain was audible on television. Despite the obvious severity of the foul, referee Joey Kooij awarded Fortuna a free kick but failed to show Rots a yellow or red card.
Fortuna coach Danny Buijs outraged
Fortuna manager Danny Buijs was livid with the officiating, questioning the decision not to review the challenge with VAR.
“I’m shocked. Halilović’s reaction said it all, and it happened right in front of the referee. Rots slipped, yes, but look at this! Did referee Higler watch the VAR replay with his eyes closed? This is a serious foul. Nobody would have complained if he had been shown a red card.”
Halilović: ‘I saw the bone through the hole in my leg’
Halilović had to be helped off the field, repeatedly asking, "How is this not a red card?" After receiving medical attention, he revealed just how gruesome the injury was.
“They closed my leg with five or six stitches. I was shocked when I saw a hole in my leg and a bone. For me, this is a clear red card. I know it was not intentional, but this is a bad decision by the referee.”
A career of ups and downs
Halilović, once hailed as a wonderkid, moved from Dinamo Zagreb to Barcelona in 2014 for €2.2 million. Since then, his career has taken him across multiple clubs, including Sporting Gijón, Hamburg, Milan, Standard Liège, Heerenveen, Birmingham, Reading, Rijeka, and now Fortuna Sittard. Since joining in the summer of 2023, he has contributed seven goals and six assists in 59 appearances.
Despite finding stability in the Netherlands, this brutal injury could sideline Halilović for some time. Fortuna Sittard will now hope for his speedy recovery as they continue their Eredivisie campaign.