Borussia Dortmund’s Marcel Schmelzer fractured his nose playing against Stuttgart on 30 March 2013. Jurgen Klopp stated immediately after the game, “The fracture is unique. His nose is all over the place.” Schmelzer played in a face mask just three days later against Malaga in the Champions League Quarter Finals and again three days thereafter against FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga. By the time Dortmund played Malaga in the return leg of the Champions League Quarter Finals on 9 April 2013, Schmelzer had got rid of his face mask and was tearing around the pitch as if he had not incurred a major fracture of his nose just 9 days prior.
Chelsea’s Fernando Torres, on the other hand broke his nose playing against Steaua Bucuresti on 14 March 2013. Torres has since featured in 11 matches sporting a face mask over a time period spanning 49 days (and counting). Fernando has gone to great lengths to fashion arise his new head dress and against Liverpool his face mask sported the number ‘9’ prominently displayed above his right eye. We can only assume that even though he was the only Player on the pitch sporting a face mask he still thought it best to let everyone know who the Tit behind the mask was. What are the odds that he will continue to sport the face mask to the end of the season which will ensure that he continues to remain the laughing stock of the Premier League?
