- Ajax starlet Abdelhak Nouri has woken from coma
- Nouri was in action for Ajax against Werder Bremen in July 2017 when he collapsed
- The 21-year-old had been in a coma since but has now woken up and is able to communicate
Ajax midfielder ace Abdelhak Nouri is recovering from brain damage after collapsing on the football pitch a year ago after falling into a coma since.
According to a sportbible.com report citing NOS his brother Abderrahim Nouri confirmed the midfielder’s condition has witnessed significant progress as the pair can now communicate with one another.
The 21-year-old Moroccan Nouri joined Ajax academy in 2005 as a nine year old.
Abdelhak Nouri collapsed in a pre-season match against Werder Bremen in July 2017, suffering permanent brain damage. Photo credit: Getty Images
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The midfielder passed through the ranks and broke into Ajax first squad in September 2016, marking his debut in a cup game for the Eredivisie outfit.
Nouri went on to win nine first team caps for Ajax in the 2016/17 campaign after his elevation.
During his first pre-season game against Werder Bremen, Nouri suffered a cardiac arrhythmia on the pitch, and was airlifted to hospital.
The Dutch giants confirmed days later that he suffered brain damage as a result of the incident and was able to breathe unaided.
Now over a year since the incident took place his brother has revealed that Nouri is positively on the part to recovery as 'Appie' can communicate with his family.
Nouri was airlifted to hospital following the cardiac arrest but is now able to communicate now. Photo credit: Getty Images
"If I compare it to before, it is much better at the moment, and its neurological status is better than months ago.
"Physically it's hard, there's a decline, that's just because he does not move, he's bedridden, he cannot move his body on his own, just his head.
"...In the beginning it was not like that, when he was really in a coma, he had his eyes closed, but he woke up more and more, since December, January, his consciousness has improved and since then there has been a form of communication.
“You ask him things, for example 'open your mouth' or 'confirm this with your eyebrow', he does that, so there is a kind of communication now."
The older Nouri also hinted that his brother had previously made use a wheelchair saying, "He sometimes comes out of bed to sit in his wheelchair.
“In the past that was difficult, in the beginning it went well, then again very difficult, a lot of ups and downs, his immune system is weakened, it fluctuates a lot, I do not want to go into details, but he has had a very bad time.
Abdelhak Nouri (l) in action for Ajax. Photo credit: Getty Images
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"Normally with someone who has had brain damage, which were very difficult times,” the older Abderrahim Nouri was quoted as saying to NOS.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously had reported that Ajax have announced that midfielder Abdelhak Nouri has suffered serious and permanent brain damage after collapsing during a friendly.
The Moroccan collapsed during his side's pre-season friendly game with Werder Bremen last weekend.
The 20-year-old required emergency treatment from paramedics on the field and was eventually airlifted to hospital.
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Source: Naija.ng