Pedro Mendes speaks out on Ben Thatcher challenge and admits it still worries him

Pedro Mendes has opened up about his lingering concerns over potential long-term damage from one of the Premier League's most notorious fouls.

Back in August 2006, while playing for Portsmouth, Mendes was on the receiving end of a brutal challenge by Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher that left him unconscious and suffering a seizure on the pitch. Mendes was chasing a loose ball when he was closed down by Thatcher, who flung his forearm onto the midfielder's jaw and brought the game to an abrupt halt.

The former Champions League winner required oxygen after being knocked out and suffered a seizure on his way to hospital. Recalling the harrowing incident nearly two decades later, Mendes expressed his apprehension about any lasting impact from the clash.

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"I woke up in hospital after the Ben Thatcher challenge, but luckily the worst thing I felt afterwards was just being unsettled, as well as some pains. It took me a couple of games to actually start playing properly again," Mendes shared with OLBG.

"The main thing for me is worrying about my future, I fear that the injury could lead to more incidents or injuries in the brain. I know the game can be aggressive but what he did was illegal.

"The most important thing for me was to put it behind me or I'd never have been able to play the game again. I'd have been afraid to go into a challenge, afraid to tackle, I had to reset and keep moving forward."

Following the incident, Thatcher was fined six weeks' wages and a suspension for six matches by City, which was further extended to an eight-game suspension by the FA. Thatcher issued an apology, while City boss Stuart Pearce described the tackle as "indefensible".

"Ben is distraught but hopefully he will learn from it," Pearce said, acknowledging Thatcher's remorse. "He is an aggressive player but every now and then the red mist appears and he steps over the mark. I ask my team to play hard but fair but when they go over the mark it's down to me to make sure I guide them in the right way."

In a shocking turn of events, the full-back was only shown a yellow card by referee Dermot Gallagher, despite the collision leading to 'a number of complaints' being lodged with Greater Manchester Police. The decision not to send off the City defender caused outrage, particularly from then-Pompey manager Harry Redknapp.

"Off the field, you could not meet a nicer boy," Redknapp said of Thatcher. "Unfortunately, on the pitch, he is capable of doing things like that.

"It was a horrendous challenge and totally out of order. Pedro is in hospital and won't be coming back with us tonight. He suffered some kind of fit or seizure. We had to give him oxygen and he wasn't in a great way when he left the stadium, but we will see how he is tomorrow."

Portsmouth player Matty Taylor was also incensed, questioning the referee's decision at the time: "How can that not be a sending-off? What do you have to do, kill someone?" Thatcher left City in 2007 and retired three years later after brief spells at Charlton and Ipswich.