ISTANBUL, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 26: Demba Ba of Besiktas scores his penalty in the shoot out during the 2nd leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 match between Besiktas and Liverpool at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on February 26, 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Former Newcastle and Chelsea striker Demba Ba suffered a horrific leg injury while playing in the Chinese Super League on Saturday.
The 31-year-old Senegalese, who now plays for Shanghai Shenhua, broke his left leg after an at-first seemingly innocuous tangle of legs with Shanghai SIPG captain Sun Xiang in the 64th minute.
Ba was down for approximately 10 minutes after his leg gave way beneath the knee, and as players from both teams and officials crowded around him.
“It could end his professional career,” said Shenhua coach Gregorio Manzano.
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Shenhua went on to beat the Red Eagles 2-1 with late goals from Yunding Cao and former Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin.
Ba is the top scorer in the Chinese Super League with 14 goals in 18 games that have catapulted Shanghai Shenhua to fifth in the table.
He moved to China from Turkish club Besiktass for about £12 million ($15.9 million) in June 2015, scoring 12 goals in 16 appearances during his first season at the Hongkou Football Stadium.
Chelsea, for whom he scored 14 goals in 51 appearances, wished their former player a speedy recovery.
The Premier League club tweeted: “All at Chelsea FC send our best wishes to former striker @dembabafoot. Get well soon Demba.”
Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng also sent his regards to the Senegal international:
Ba, who was born in France, was carted off the field. He scored 50 total goals with Newcastle, Chelsea and West Ham.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – FEBRUARY 26: Demba Ba of Besiktas scores his penalty in the shoot out during the 2nd leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 match between Besiktas and Liverpool at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on February 26, 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
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