Ajax's Abdelhak Nouri Out of Intensive Care After Collapse Which Caused 'Permanent Brain Damage'
Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri has been taken out of intensive care and is breathing unaided after he collapsed during a pre-season friendly two weeks ago.
The 20-year-old suffered "serious and permanent brain damage" following the collapse in the second half of a friendly against Werder Bremen earlier this month.
In a statement on Ajax's official website on behalf of his family, the club confirmed that Nouri is no longer in an induced coma.
The statement added that the player's condition is largely unchanged. He is now stable but still with severe and lasting brain damage.
Nouri suffered "cardiac arrhythmias" during the game against Werder Bremen, and an earlier Ajax statement claimed that there was no prospect of a recovery from the brain damage, "probably" caused by a lack of oxygen supply.
He received CPR on the pitch following his collapse and was airlifted to hospital in Austria. After ten minutes of treatment, Nouri was still conscious and still breathing before medical staff made their way onto the pitch.
The match was then abandoned as the youngster was taken to hospital.
Nouri made 15 appearances in all competitions for Ajax last season, scoring on his first team debut in a 5-0 win over Willem II in the Dutch Cup.
He had emerged as a highly rated prospect, having played at every youth level internationally up to the under-19s.