Chelsea midfielder Melanie Leupolz was forced off with a horrendous facial injury during their Champions League quarter-final tie with Lyon.
The Blues German star, who only recently came back to the team following absence for maternity leave, was left severely bloodied after a clash with Lyon's Danielle van de Donk. Chelsea eventually won a dramatic tie on penalties, after a last minute goal from Maren Mjelde, also from the spot, forced a shootout to allow the Blues to reach the Champions League last four.
But during a physical contest Leupolz was withdrawn during the second half after a nasty looking collision with van de Donk. The Chelsea midfielder had to be replaced by Sophie Ingle following the incident.
Despite receiving lengthy treatment from the Blues medical team, the midfielders' nose continued to bleed profusely. The game was stopped for several minutes while she received medical attention, before departing to a warm reception from the Stamford Bridge crowd.
Despite Leupolz's knock clearly being a head injury, officials initially refused to stop the game when she fell to the Stamford Bridge turf. The German was then down for four minutes receiving treatment as blood continued to flow from her nose.
Leupolz was only recently selected for the German national team for the first time since becoming a mother. But it is unknown if her participation with the national squad will now be in doubt due to the injury.
Chelsea are already facing something of an injury crisis as we approach a crucial point in the season, with Pernille Harder and Fran Kirby currently out, while Millie Bright suffered a knee injury in the first leg and has yet to reappear. Leupolz wasn't the only Blue forced off this evening, with Eve Perisset also going off during normal time.
Emma Hayes' team will face Barcelona in the semi-final of the Champions League following their dramatic win over the eight-time European champions at Stamford Bridge. They will join WSL rivals who made it through after a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
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