Manchester City midfielder Ousmane Dabo said he was left looking 'like the Elephant Man' after being attacked by team mate Joey Barton in training this week. Barton has been suspended by the club for the rest of the season after the attack which French international midfielder Dabo, who was hospitalised, described as cowardly.
"I am disfigured, my left eye has been affected. I believe he put his fingers in my eyes," Dabo told Thursday's edition of French paper L'Equipe.
Dabo said the two men had a heated exchange after catching each other with bad tackles.
"I thought it was over and when I wanted to turn away he hit me with a terrible punch that knocked me out. He acted like a coward, it wasn't a fair fight."
Dabo's left eye has been taped closed and he has swellings and facial marks following hospital treatment.
"When I woke up this morning I looked at myself in the mirror with my face all swollen up and I looked like the Elephant Man," he told The Sun.
"I'm a big guy and if it had been a face-to-face fight he would have known about it."
Barton was fined six weeks' wages in 2004 for stubbing a cigar in a team mate's eye during a Christmas party and his future at City is in doubt after the latest incident.
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