Stadium Steward Has Organ Removed After Wayward Free Kick Murders His Spleen

In a Serie A match on Sunday, Inter winger Antonio Candreva tried to send the ball screaming into the upper corner of Torino’s goal. Instead, he sent a stadium steward screaming into the hospital when his errant shot flew over the crossbar, smashed into the unsuspecting steward’s back, and ruptured his spleen.

See that neon-vested steward standing just to the left of the big bull in the picture above? The one with the little white dot over his head? Well that man is Marco Rapisarda, the 25-year-old steward in question, and that dot is the ball that will soon obliterate his spleen. You can check out video of the incident here, though unfortunately the camera cuts away right before the moment of impact.

The steward reportedly toughed out the rest of the match and didn’t seek medical attention until the next day. When he did, doctors discovered the extent of the damage and had to remove the busted organ. I think I speak for all involved when I say, Mamma mia, that’s-a one spicy soccer ball!

[ Mediaset]