“I take 100% of the blame off David Luiz”
Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez has revealed that he doesn’t blame David Luiz for the fractured skull he suffered following a collision with the former Arsenal defender last November.
The 30-year-old was involved in a ghastly clash of heads with the Brazilian during Wolves’ 2-1 win over the Gunners last year.
Jimenez was taken off on a stretcher, and was forced to undergo surgery which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
The Mexican international spent a week in hospital as a result of the incident, but admits that – nearly a year later – he cannot remember the full extent of the clash.
But having watched back footage of his collision with Luiz, he has been keen to insist that he doesn’t blame the former Arsenal man for what happened.
“One of their players goes to the front post and passes in front of me,” Jimenez told Colombian network W Radio.
“If I didn’t take that step, I wouldn’t jump backwards, and I would have jumped in front of him.
“Jumping backwards, he caught me loose. I take 100% of the blame off David Luiz; he was going with the intention of heading the ball; unfortunately, it was on my head.”
Raul Jimenez getting his first goal since coming back from injury 💪🧡 pic.twitter.com/p3r8Y1co1j
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 28, 2021
Jimenez – who has scored 49 goals in 117 appearances for Wolves – also revealed that he asked to see a variety of different angles of the incident, hoping that it would help him piece together an accurate account of what exactly happened.
“I’ve seen it (the play) several times. I asked the video people and the social media people at the club if they had different shots of the play,” the attacker said.
“I don’t remember anything; I remember that we arrived at the stadium, that I went out to see the pitch, I went into the dressing room to change and then the lights went out.
“I don’t remember when the match started, nor the corner kick or the blow.
“Being in the hospital. I was conscious when I was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, but I don’t remember that; I don’t remember after the operation.
“I have memories of things I did in the hospital, that they brought me my food, that they stopped me from walking, but it’s not much either.”
The Mexican scored his first goal since returning from injury against Southampton in September, with Jimenez also creating more chances in the Premier League this season than any other striker so far.
Related links:
- Troy Deeney criticised for comments on David Luiz’s collision with Raul Jimenez
- Raul Jimenez conscious and responding to treatment after head injury
- Terry Butcher: ‘I want to see football with no heading’
