Nicola Pozzi will sacrifice the future use of his finger in a bid to help Empoli secure European qualification.
The striker snapped a tendon in his right hand during the 3-1 defeat to Lazio at the weekend and medics ruled that surgery was required.
But going under the knife would have seen him ruled out of action for six weeks, thus sidelining him from the Tuscan club’s fantastic campaign and possibly ending his dream of reaching June’s Under-21 European Championships.
As a result, Pozzi has taken the extraordinary decision of snubbing an operation which will result in him losing the mobility of his ring finger.
“I’ll still have my finger, I just won’t be able to bend or move it,” noted Pozzi. “Thank goodness that I write with my left hand…
“It’s obviously not a nice thing, but I considered all of the positives and the negatives,” he added.
“When my grandchildren ask me why my finger is like it is then I can tell them about this magnificent season with Empoli.
“Europe is at stake for both club and country for me. At Empoli we are just outside the top four and are fighting for something more important than just survival.
“And then I might get an Azzurrini call too!”
From Channel4
I WANT THIS KID!!!! HE'S LIKE F*CKIN BRAVEHEART!!