Fernando Torres is "stable and conscious" in hospital after suffering a terrible head injury in Atletico Madrid's 1-1 draw with Deportivo on Thursday.
The striker was at the centre of a frightening scene at the end of his side's 1-1 draw with Deportivo when he was knocked out cold following an aerial collision with an opposition defender.
Torres went limp in the air and subsequently landed face-first on the turf, with his head taking much of the blow in a sickening landing that saw him smash into the ground with considerable force.
¡ESCALOFRIANTE!
Fernando Torres abandona el terreno de juego conmocionado después de este fortísimo golpe.
¡ANIMO TORRES! pic.twitter.com/gPi2MKL2MR— Jorge23 (@Delapuentejor) March 2, 2017Next Match
Players from both sides rushed to the striker's aid, as did referee Carlos Clos, before Torres was eventually stretchered off the pitch with a number of his team-mates in tears.
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Getty Images
"Fernando has suffered a head injury," an Atletico statement initially read. "He was rushed to the hospital to undergo tests. He will spend the night in hospital under observation."
Fernando Torres il est mort ou quoi ? Gimenez n'en peut plus ,son état est très critique. #AnimoElNino #DEPATM pic.twitter.com/zqZjvsfR9L
— Xander (@jssxander) March 2, 2017
Radio Marca later reported that they had been told by Torres's agent, Antonio Sanz, that the 32-year-old was conscious and talking while being taken to hospital in an ambulance.
That was later confirmed by the club, who revealed that the Spaniard was "stable and conscious" and that he would stay in hospital overnight.
Great Griezmann goal earns draw
The club also tweeted that Torres had undergone a CT scan and that there was seemingly no major lasting damage sustained. The message in Spanish read: "Torres has had a cranial and cervical CT [computed tomography scan].
"No traumatic alterations or injuries [were discovered]."
Atletico had fallen behind to a Florin Andone strike in the Liga clash, before Antoine Griezmann rescued a point for Diego Simeone's men with a stunning effort from distance.
The final minutes of the game, however, were virtually a write-off due to the lack of enthusiasm of either team to continue after witnessing Torres's injury.
After falling off the radar in recent years after declining from his peak as one of the world's best strikers, Torres has seen a resurgence at boyhood club Atletico acting as foil to Manchester United target Griezmann.
The 32-year-old has scored seven goals in all competitions in 2016-17 for last season's Champions League runners-up, who are 11 points behind current leaders Barcelona in the Liga title race.
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