Pedro Mendes knocked out

August 25th, 2006 | by: Luis |

Portuguese star and Portsmouth wonder man Pedro Mendes suffered a horrendous tackle from Manchester City’s Ben Thatcher Wednesday night, in a match that ended in a nil – nil draw. I’m being kind by calling it a tackle at all; Thatcher had no intension of reaching the ball when he assaulted Mendes just after the start of the second half. Thatcher barreled full speed into Mendes with elbows raised. Mendes was knocked out and suffered an epileptic seizure. He received emergency treatment on the field and spent 24 hours in a Manchester City hospital. He was released Thursday night but will be kept under close observation.

Thatcher received a yellow card for the offense which outraged Mendes’ team mates. In his post game interview Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp questioned how the incident was handled by the match referee.

“The FA have to do something, it is there for all to see. I do not want to see anyone suspended but how could that possibly not be a red card? What do you have to do to get a red, kill someone?”

The FA has agreed to investigate the incident. An FA spokesman said: “We are looking at whether this may possibly be an exceptional case and what options may exist under our disciplinary regulations.”

The Greater Manchester Police will also look into the incident after receiving several complaints from spectators. The GMP agreed to speak with team representatives and both Thatcher and Mendes before deciding on any future action. “There is no official criminal investigation but GMP is duty bound to investigate the complaints,” said a GMP representative. Once he recovers, Mendes will also have the option of taking civil action against Thatcher.

It remains to be seen if English fans and media will express the same level of outrage over this incident as they did over Ronaldo’s diving or wink. For me, I’ll take a thousand dives per match over this kind of behavior.

Força Pedro and Força Portugal!

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Comments

By Pedro P | August 25th, 2006 at 11:46 am

Pedro Mendes is recuvering and was already released from hospital. Apparently, also due to the elbowing, he had an epileptic seasure, in the ambulance, while being brought to the hospital. Read more below (in portuguese):

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=718204&div_id=1502

Posted from Netherlands

By Luis | August 25th, 2006 at 2:27 pm

English fans speak up about this incident.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mb606/F4472020?thread=3395560

Posted from United States

By Stuart | August 25th, 2006 at 4:52 pm

I can’t recall seeing such a flagrant attack…foul doesn’t begin to cover what happened. That guy should be charged with felonious assault.

Portsmouth could always bring Zidane out of retirement for their next match with Manchester City…

By lazaro | August 25th, 2006 at 6:02 pm

That attack makes Zizou’s headbutt look like a peck on the cheek. Credit the English fans, they’re furious about this and they’ve been vocal about it. The reason the police are involved is precisely because the spectators who saw it close at hand were outraged and called the local police to demand something be done about it. And Figo’s headbutt during the tournament hardly absolves Portugal from guilt in this area.

Posted from United States

By lazaro | August 25th, 2006 at 6:45 pm

From Britain’s Guardian newspaper today:

Mendes recalls ‘worst moment of career’
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1858264,00.html

Thatcher hit by FA charge
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1858620,00.html

Referee Gallagher demoted
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1857932,00.html

Poll: should Thatcher be punished?
http://football.guardian.co.uk/poll/0,,1857591,00.html

The above poll of British readers of the Guardian has 96% agreeing with punishment.

Posted from United States

By Luis | August 25th, 2006 at 8:09 pm

Kudos to English football fans for speaking out on this. There is no place in football for this type of garbage. It isn’t his first offense and in my opinion Thatcher should be banned from the game.

Posted from United States

By Luis D. | August 28th, 2006 at 3:20 pm

I keep hitting play on the video, watching it over and over. From the first angle, almost looks as if Thatcher is PUNCHING Mendes. Wow.

Posted from Canada

By Pedro P | August 28th, 2006 at 4:12 pm

BTW, this Pedro Mendes is, if I’m not mistaken (so, please correct me if I’m wrong), THE SAME FCPorto midfielder Pedro Mendes, that played then together with Deco, Maniche and Costinha (the midfield “diamond”), in the side that eventually won the Champs league, in 2004.

Curiously enough, one certain Manuel Fernandes, former SL Benfica midfielder (or maybe still SLB, the future’s uncertain, as everybody’s waiting for his injury to cure) is likely to join him at Portsmouth!

Posted from Netherlands

By Luis | August 28th, 2006 at 5:51 pm

Yes Pedro, it is the same Pedro Mendes that played for Mourinho at FC Porto. He spent a year with Tottenham FC but was injured and fell out of favor. He was picked up last year by Harry Rednapp and helped to save Portmouth from being dropped from the EPL. He scored some amazing goals for Portmouth last year.

Posted from United States

By Carlos | September 4th, 2006 at 9:24 am

Unfortunately, things like that happen every day in English football.
Many Portuguese players have played in England and hardly one of them has made his luck there. Why don’t they go to Spain?
After the World Cup they surely won’t have more fans in England.

Posted from Austria