7. Ewald Lienen's Leg Is Sliced Open With 25cm Gash (Football)
The Germans are, stereotypically, a hardy bunch of fellows. They are square-jawed efficient chaps who are scarcely fazed by the thought of a little injury. Nothing captures such an idea as perfectly as the gorey-looking injury of Ewald Lienen, then a midfielder for Arminia Bielefeld in August 1981. Lienen was sliced by Norbert Siegmann of Werder Bremen in a truly shocking challenge. The result of the clash was that Lienen was left with a 25cm gash in his right thigh, as Siegmann's studs had sliced open his skin, leaving the muscle bare to the elements. It looks like something straight out of a horror film; nothing as disgusting as bones out of place, just pure blood and gore for all to seen. What makes the incident all the more horrifying is Lienen's reaction, as, living up to the German way, he gets straight up to angrily rant against Bremen's manager, blaming him for the rough nature of his team. He stomps around, flailing his arms in disbelief and shock until finally resigning himself to sit at the side of the pitch to receive treatment which would eventually see him sewn up with 23 stitches. Luckily, the studs went little further than skin, and no serious muscle damage was done, allowing Lienen to play again just 17 days later.
