Former Barcelona midfielder Carles Perez has been hospitalised in Greece after suffering a dog bite to his genitals while walking his pet in Thermi, a suburb of Thessaloniki, on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old, who currently plays for Greek side Aris FC on loan from Celta Vigo, was reportedly trying to break up a scuffle between his dog and another when he sustained the painful injury.
Perez was immediately taken to a private hospital in Panorama, where doctors treated a “deep gash” with six stitches. The club later confirmed that the injury caused a soft tissue infection, ruling him out of action for the immediate future.
As a result, he will miss Aris FC’s UEFA Conference League qualifier against Araz-Nakhchivan, a match he was originally scheduled to start.
“Carles would have been in the starting line-up,” said manager Marinos Ouzounidis. “This incident happened, but we can’t dwell on it. My focus is now on the rest of the squad and how we can adapt.”
Perez, who made his senior debut for Barcelona in 2019, has previously played for Roma, Getafe, and Celta Vigo. His unfortunate injury comes as a bizarre setback just as he looked to reignite his career in Greece.
