Rarely has the beautiful game looked as ugly as it did last weekend in Turkey.
Mehmet Degirmenci intentionally kicked opponent Kayhan Karakas in the face Sunday during an amateur soccer game between Dallıcaspor and Sanayispor in Western Turkey. Degirmenci’s brutal attack left the latter with lasting physical damage and the former facing pending charges for attempted manslaughter, according to The Daily Sabah.
Video of the incident has surfaced on the Internet. Warning: it’s disturbing.
Karakas initially tried to play on, but he collapsed later in the game and was taken to the hospital.
After the game, Sanayispor, Degirmenci’s team, released a statement saying it has severed ties with him. Sanayispor also apologized to Karakas and Dallıcaspor.
Degirmenci later told the press he lost control of himself after Karakas made a derogatory comment about his deceased mother.
Karakas is thankful Degirmenci didn’t do more damage.
“Thank god that kick came near my jaw,” Karakas said. “If it had hit me directly in the face, it could have broken my nose, made me blind or break my neck.”
Karakas is lucky to be alive and well. Degirmenci is living freely, but Karakas has pressed charges for “attempted manslaughter.”
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@FOXSports
