Special Feature: Evra’s story of resolve and determination, Chelsea versus Monaco
Although it has become a trend in modern societies to hate someone who has more money, wealth, fame and power than you, one cannot help but admit the fact that there are some people who genuinely deserve respect and earn it with
their actions. Some of these people are in football as well. Where we have footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and John Terry, hateable well within their own right, we have certain athletes who are just too nice to be a target of any animosity.
The first of such characters is Patrice Evra. Evra currently plays for Manchester United at the left back position. Patrice started his career as a left winger rather than a left back but as time has progressed the Frenchman has
been moulded into one of the best left backs in the world. Evra won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United in 2008 after the Red Devils defeated Chelsea in the final match of the tournament on penalties but that final match wasn’t Evra’s first final
of the UEFA Champions League.
Before making his move to Manchester United, Patrice used to play for Monaco in France. Monaco have now faded beyond the limelight but there was a time once when the French football club was held in high regard throughout Europe.
In 2004, Monaco made it to the final stages of the UEFA Champions League, during that season they played Chelsea in the semi-finals of the competition.
The team that lined up against Chelsea on that fateful night in London in 2004, included Evra, playing at his trademark left back position. A few minutes after the match started, Evra was dealt a strong tackle on his ankle by Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink. Jimmy’s was playing as Chelsea’s striker at that time and due to his tackle, Evra’s ankle got cut open and blood started gushing out.
The match was called to a temporary halt as a result, and the medical staff from Monaco F.C came on the field to check on the defender. When the team doctor saw the condition of Evra’s ankle, he gestured towards the bench to inform
them that Patrice was not in a position to continue playing any longer because of his ankle injury. When Evra realised that the doctor was about to do this, he grabbed the doctors hands with all his might and told him that he would literally “kill” the team
doctor if the medical staff sent the message across to the dugout regarding his injury.
The situation turned into a tense one for Monaco’s team doctor who decided to heavily bandage Evra’s ankle which was overflowing with blood. Despite the heaviness of the bandage, the blood went on flowing albeit in small amounts.
Evra played on with the injury and resumed his role on the field for Monaco. Monaco were incidentally guarding a two goal lead that they had taken from the first leg which was held in France.
At the end of the first half when Evra along with his team mates came back to the dressing room. The doctor came up to the Frenchman and advised him to talk to the teams’ manager himself. Monaco’s manager at that time was the famous
French footballer, Didier Deschamps. However, Evra thought against it and instructed the doctor to stitch his cut up. The doctor obliged and sewed up Evra’s wound by giving him nine stitches.
It was a painful experience for the left back but adrenaline kept him going throughout. After having his foot stitched up, he took a piece of “chicken”, a boneless piece and placed it between the injured ankle and his shoe. In
doing so, Evra smartly provided himself with a cushion for his injury. When the second half resumed, Evra ran out to the field along with his team mates and as we all know, the match ended in a two all draw but Monaco advanced due to their 3-1 win in the first
leg of the semi-final. This tale was told by Evra in an interview which was held after his move to Manchester United.
Patrice also showed the scar that he got from the injury that he suffered from in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League. It was a moment of lunacy according to some but for a man who has had to compete against 25 siblings,
it was just sheer determination. Evra realised then that it is not often in a footballer’s career that he plays in the UEFA Champions League semi-final. He realized that there if there is a will there is a way.
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