PSV Eindhoven defender Hector Moreno has apologised after making the tackle that broke Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw’s leg. Shaw, 20, had surgery on Tuesday after suffering a double fracture of his right leg during the Red Devils’ 2-1 Champions League defeat in Eindhoven.
The England international will stay in hospital to continue his recovery. Moreno, 27, said: “I just feel really bad because I was involved in the accident. I feel really sorry.”
Shaw was given oxygen while being treated on the pitch for 10 minutes after Moreno’s challenge in the 15th minute of the game and was in tears in the dressing room.
United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward visited Shaw at St Anna Ziekenhuis hospital ahead of the club flying back to England.
Shaw, who signed from Southampton in June last year in a £31m deal and made 20 appearances in an injury-interrupted first season, is said to be in a positive frame of mind.
Uefa has no plans to review the tackle, which was not penalised by the officials, and will not take any further action.
Moreno said he did not think his 15th-minute challenge was a foul, despite United boss Louis van Gaal describing it as “very bad”.
“I think I played the ball, but in this kind of situation I don’t care if it was a foul,” said Moreno, who broke his leg during last year’s World Cup. “I feel bad for him, for his family.”
Shaw has started all of United’s eight games this season, as well as playing in England’s European Championship qualifiers against San Marino and Switzerland.
But with just nine months to go until Euro 2016, he has broken both his tibia and fibula. Less than an hour after suffering the injury, Shaw wrote on Twitter: “Thank you everyone for your messages, words can’t describe how gutted I am, my road to recovery starts now, I will come back stronger.”
Meanwhile, Manchester United had a luckless night in their Champions League opener unlike previous games this season where Louis van Gaal’s side have struggled to turn their superiority into chances, they chalked up 17 shots on goal to PSV’s six.
There were encouraging displays from Depay, who scored his third of the season, and Anthony Martial, who made his full debut following his wonder goal during the win over Liverpool last Saturday.
Poor finishing let the visitors down, although their biggest concern will be over Shaw who will now suffer a lengthy lay-off.
Memphis Depay may not have scored in the Premier League so far, but fresh from his £31m move from PSV to Manchester United in June, the 21-year-old looked at home on his return to the Philips Stadium.
The forward, who scored 22 league goals for PSV en route to the Eredivisie title last season, started down the left and linked up well with striker Martial, who showed no signs of nervousness despite his tender age of 19 and his £36m transfer fee.
Depay’s goal was not dissimilar to Martial’s effort at Old Trafford against Liverpool. Played through by Daley Blind, he cut inside, and beat Jeroen Zoet with some ease. When the scores were level, the Dutchman could have added to his tally after a smart one-two with Martial but struck straight at the PSV goalkeeper.—ESPN.