Liverpool fan Sean Cox will make his first return to Anfield for the Reds' upcoming clash with Manchester City since being left in a coma by an attack on him by Roma fans.
Cox was seriously injured after an unprovoked attack by a small group of Roma supporters outside the ground, leaving the Irishman in a coma after being struck on the head in the build up to the Champions League semi-final in April 2018.
Since the assault, the 53-year-old has undergone 18 months of intensive rehabilitation and therapy, and has been based in Sheffield since September. This won't be the first time he has seen his beloved Liverpool since the incident though, having seen a Liverpool Legends match against a Republic of Ireland XI at the Aviva Stadium.
The Liverpool players and fans showed their support for Cox in the wake of the the events in 2018, with the Sean Cox Rehabilitation Trust being formed on the back of the attack to raise money to fund the rehabilitation of the Co Meath man – £700k being raised from the aforementioned charity match.
"The trip will be emotional and a little bit bittersweet," his wife Martina said, after speaking on the Pat Kenny show, as quoted by Dublin Live.
"We're getting him there, and that's a really positive thing for him - I think it will be great for him. Liverpool have been amazing, and they've really come on board. Obviously they had the [charity] game in the Aviva...so I reckon they'll be pulling out all the stops for Sean. It will give him a boost, I think, on Sunday."
The clash in discussion is a monumental encounter between the Reds and City, who occupy the top two spots in the Premier League, with Liverpool currently holding a six-point advantage over Pep Guardiola's men.
While Cox will return to Anfield for the first time in 18 months, his wife added that more work is being done to aid him on his road to recovery.
She added: "Sean needs a serious amount of rehab, and it's to improve him...for a better quality of life. We don't really know the final outcome, how things are going to pan out...but we're there just to make things better for him."
Source :
90min
