Future Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus has thanked Palmeiras' medical staff after his speedy recovery from injury saw him score in a 1-1 draw with Flamengo.
Gabriel Jesus scores for Palmeiras, thanks medics
Future Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus has thanked Palmeiras' medical staff after his speedy recovery from injury saw him score against Flamengo.
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The Brazil international had left their previous game against Gremio on a stretcher just four days earlier, but was fit to play the full 90 minutes and net an equaliser in the Serie A clash.
After firing Palmeiras level, Gabriel Jesus ran to celebrate with the physios on the bench, later praising them for their role in his remarkable return to health.
"After the goal, I came here to embrace one of the physiotherapists," he was quoted by Globo Esporte. "Jomar [Ottoni], Marcelo [Gondo], everyone in the medical department. I owe a lot to them."
Head coach Cuca later conceded it was a risk to play the 19-year-old, but he trusted the judgement of his staff.
"In football, you have to take risk," he told a news conference. "You will not have a player with no pain, no. Any player, by shock, or by training contact, has pain.
"It is up to us, as professionals, to assess whether it is that a major pain can be aggravated.
"The injury had no risk of being serious, but none of us would be irresponsible to let the boy play if there was a risk of compromise. We do the right things."
Gabriel Jesus will join City in January after a deal was agreed in the off-season for a big-money move.
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