Pedro Mendes speaks out on Ben Thatcher challenge and admits it still worries him

Pedro Mendes has opened up about his lingering concerns over potential long-term damage from one of the Premier League's most notorious fouls.

Back in August 2006, while playing for Portsmouth, Mendes was on the receiving end of a brutal challenge by Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher that left him unconscious and suffering a seizure on the pitch. Mendes was chasing a loose ball when he was closed down by Thatcher, who flung his forearm onto the midfielder's jaw and brought the game to an abrupt halt.

The former Champions League winner required oxygen after being knocked out and suffered a seizure on his way to hospital. Recalling the harrowing incident nearly two decades later, Mendes expressed his apprehension about any lasting impact from the clash.

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"I woke up in hospital after the Ben Thatcher challenge, but luckily the worst thing I felt afterwards was just being unsettled, as well as some pains. It took me a couple of games to actually start playing properly again," Mendes shared with OLBG.

"The main thing for me is worrying about my future, I fear that the injury could lead to more incidents or injuries in the brain. I know the game can be aggressive but what he did was illegal.

"The most important thing for me was to put it behind me or I'd never have been able to play the game again. I'd have been afraid to go into a challenge, afraid to tackle, I had to reset and keep moving forward."

Following the incident, Thatcher was fined six weeks' wages and a suspension for six matches by City, which was further extended to an