Las Palmas goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen has undergone emergency surgery on his abdomen after a seemingly innocuous clash with Celta Vigo forward Borja Iglesias on Monday night. The Dutchman was stretchered off at Balaidos and replaced by Dinko Horkas.
After Iglesias was slid in behind during the 1-1 draw between the two sides in Galicia, Cillessen rushed out to meet him, and secured the ball first. Iglesias, stretching for the ball, accidentally made impact with his knees in the stomach of Cillessen. While clearly painful, it seemed a relatively harmless clash, but following several minutes down, Cillessen was eventually stretchered off the pitch.
Following reports from Cadena SER, it appears Cillessen was rushed to hospital in Vigo during the match. The 35-year-old had an abdominal issue, and after some doubts, it appears he has undergone emergency surgery for a blow to his intestine that he suffered during the collision. The issue is described as a ‘small perforation’. Little further information is available, but Cillessen is now recovering in hospital. It is not clear how major or not the surgery was.
Hopefully Cillessen is back on his feet sooner rather than later, but it seems likely that he will be out of action for at least a few weeks after surgery. With Las Palmas in the heat of a relegation battle, Horkas is likely to continue, although they do have Alvaro Valles, relegated to the stands due to a contractual dispute, also on their books.
Las Palmas face Real Sociedad at home next, followed by a Getafe away from home and then Atletico Madrid. This season Cillessen has played a starring role, coming up with a number of crucial saves in his 27 appearances, four of which have resulted in clean sheets. Currently Las Palmas are in 19th, a point off Leganes and Alaves ahead of them.
