NICOLAS OTAMENDI was forced to wear a SWIMMING CAP after a horror clash of heads during Benfica’s draw with Ajax.
The former Manchester City star played the full 90 minutes of Wednesday’s 2-2 stalemate in the Champions League last 16.
Nicolas Otamendi was forced to wear a swimming cap in Benfica’s 2-2 draw at Ajax
Otamendi was fitted with the bizarre gear following a clash of heads
However, Otamendi’s game nearly ended on the half hour mark when he took a knock to the head in an accidental collision.
Looking worse for wear, many expected the Argentine to be taken off as a precautionary concussion sub.
But Benfica medics instead kept Otamendi, 34, on the pitch.
And their solution to the problem was to bizarrely place a swimming cap tight down on his head.
To his credit, the centre-back returned to the action and saw out the rest of the game.
And there is all to play in the second leg of the tie after a dramatic night in Portugal.
Dusan Tadic fired Ajax ahead after 18 minutes as the visitors capitalised on their dominance.
But Sebastien Haller committed a howler as he put the ball into his own net in the 25th minute.
However, the ex-West Ham flop made amends almost instantly as he quickly restored Ajax’s lead.
Yet it was Benfica who had the final say when Roman Yaremchuk made it 2-2 in the 72nd minute.
The Ukraine striker was booked for his celebration after lifting his shirt to reveal a Ukrainian coat of arms amid fears of a Russian invasion.
