Roma defender Leandro Castan has explained how it was discovered that he had a cavernoma.
The Brazil international has been forced to have brain surgery to cure the problem – an irregular cluster of blood vessels – and notes that the problem was first highlighted when he felt tired after the 1-0 win over Empoli in September.
“I was really ill that night after the Empoli game, as if I was sea-sick, but I thought that I was just tired,” he told TG1.
“That morning I still felt bad, so I went to the doctor, we did some tests and found this bruising in the base of the brain.
“They told me I could not play football with that. My child asked why I wasn’t playing anymore and I was afraid of the surgery, but then I told myself: ‘No, as a father I need to set an example of strength.’