Former Fulham star ‘communicating’ after ‘serious mule cart and horse mishap’ left PSG man in a coma

Former Fulham goalkeeper Sergio Rico is 'communicating' once again as he recovers from a serious horse riding accident that left him in intensive care.

The 29-year-old was left in a 'serious condition' after the accident which left him in a coma while being treated for his injuries. The PSG shot-stopper has now come out of a coma and his wife Alba Silva told L'Equipe that Silva is communicating and conscious.

She told L'Equipe: “Sergio is communicating. He calls us by our names and he perfectly knows who we are, his memory is working great.

“We’ll need to wait for him to really express himself. We’re just trying, for now, to make him feel good and at ease.“

Earlier this month Silva spoke to Spanish media about the goalkeeper's recovery process saying that he had already taken 'small steps' forward since the horse riding accident.

When the incident happened, in a statement his family said he suffered "a serious mishap due to a mule cart and a horse that hit him".

Rico was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Seville for immediate treatment at the end of May.

In the days that followed, PSG players showed their support for the goalkeeper ahead of their final Ligue 1 meeting with Clermont. Sergio Ramos dedicated his goal to his compatriot in that game while Kylian Mbappe showed a message of support when he scored.

PSG also cancelled a gala dinner on May 30. President Nasser Al-Khelaifi explained: "The entire Paris Saint-Germain family is deeply affected by the tragedy affecting Sergio Rico and his loved ones. On behalf of all the Club's teams, I want to assure them of our full support and heartfelt sympathy during this ordeal."

Spaniard Rico began his career rising through the Sevilla youth ranks and went on to make his professional debut for his hometown club's B side in 2011 before reaching the first team in 2014, for who he made more than 100 appearances winning the Europa League in 2015 and 2016.

Altercations with manager Vincenzo Montella and fans during the 2017/18 eventually saw the star loaned to Fulham in August 2018 for one season. Rico made 32 appearances in his season with the Cottagers but couldn't prevent relegation from the Premier League as the side dropped back to the Championship.