Roma have announced that centre-back Evan Ndicka has been discharged from hospital following his worrying collapse in the weekend's Serie A clash with Udinese.
With the score at 1-1 in the 71st minute of Sunday's match at Stadio Friuli, Ndicka hunched over and sat down off the ball before falling onto his back as Roma advanced up the field.
Once the Giallorossi's attack had been snuffed out, medics rushed to attend to Ndicka, who was conscious but in visible distress and was eventually stretchered off the pitch.
Ex-Manchester United man Chris Smalling was being readied to replace his stricken teammate, who gave a weak thumbs-up as he was taken off before being admitted to hospital for further tests.
Both teams took the decision to abandon the contest following the 24-year-old's collapse, although Roma posted a reassuring update later on Sunday, sharing a picture of Ndicka flexing his bicep in a hospital bed.
The Italian giants also revealed that Ndicka was "feeling better" and "in good spirits" following a visit from his teammates, and in a further update on Monday night, Roma announced that he had been given the green light to leave hospital.
Evan Ndicka has been discharged and will undergo additional tests in Rome. 💪
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 15, 2024
Update on his condition👇
📃 https://t.co/Wn1ZDa3srm#ASRoma pic.twitter.com/mikMz8lsK3
Roma praise Udinese, referee and medics after Ndicka incident
Tests did not uncover an underlying heart condition for Ndicka, who was instead found to have been suffering from a thoracic trauma and pneumothorax - a collapsed lung caused by air leaking into the area between the respiratory organ and chest wall.
"Following acute precordial pain and atypical alternations in the EKG administered in the first aid room at the stadium, the player Evan Ndicka was hospitalized at the Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital in Udine," Roma said in a statement.
"First and second-level cardiological tests were administered that were negative for cardiac pathologies. In light of the last tests undergone this morning, the medical situation is compatible with a thoracic trauma with minimal left pneumothorax. The player was discharged and will undergo additional tests in Rome.
"AS Roma wishes to thank Udinese Calcio, referee Mr. Pairetto, the public present at the stadium in Udine and the medical and health staff at the Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital in Udine for their great professionalism and availability. In those frantic minutes of apprehension, we all together demonstrated sports values and placed protecting life at first place."
No date has been set for the resumption of Roma and Udinese's clash, which saw Romelu Lukaku and Roberto Pereyra strike before the game was halted, and the contest will continue from the 72nd minute rather than a full replay.
Ndicka has made 27 appearances for Roma since joining on a free transfer last summer, and the defender became an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Ivory Coast this year, playing every minute of the tournament.
Roma occupy fifth place in the Serie A table and are next in action in the Europa League on Thursday evening, bidding to build on a 1-0 lead over AC Milan in the second leg of their quarter-final.
Ben Knapton
