The Night Chelsea's Defender Nearly Died On The Pitch
This story will shock you! Michael Duberry, former Chelsea defender, just revealed something crazy about the 1998 Cup Winners' Cup final.
Eh! You won't believe what this man went through.
Playing With Half A Face
Two weeks before the biggest game of his life, Duberry woke up and his face was paralyzed. The doctors said it was Bell's Palsy - basically a mini stroke that makes your face collapse.
Imagine trying to play football when half your face doesn't work! The man was cooking but his face wasn't.
The Final That Almost Didn't Happen
Despite looking like he'd been to the dentist and they messed up, Duberry started the final against Stuttgart. He played the full 90 minutes with half his face frozen.
Chelsea won 1-0, but nobody knew their defender was fighting more than just the Germans. This one is finished!
The Team That Day
Picture this: Duberry, Zola, Di Matteo, Vialli - all these legends on the pitch. But while they were thinking about tactics, Duberry was thinking about whether his face would fall off.
The man is a warrior. Nowadays players miss games because they stubbed their toe, but Duberry was out there with a paralyzed face.
What Even Is Bell's Palsy?
For those asking what Bell's Palsy is - it's when your face decides to take a break without telling you. One side just stops working. Imagine trying to shout at the referee when you can't move half your mouth.
Duberry kept this secret for years. The man suffered in silence while playing in a European final. That's real football, not this modern soft stuff.
Source: Mirror
