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Captain courageous Terry returns

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CARDIFF, Wales -- Chelsea captain John Terry returned to be with his celebrating team-mates less than two hours after being stretchered off during the Premier League champions' League Cup final win against Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium.

Terry sustained a sickening injury when he was accidentally kicked in the face by Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby as he tried to head towards goal on the hour mark.

With players from both teams gathering around anxiously, the England defender's neck was put in a brace as he was taken from the field, on a stretcher and wearing an oxygen mask.

England captain Terry, who has been plagued by injuries all season was rushed to Cardiff hospital, but within an hour of the finish of an incident-packed match he had returned the stadium, still in his kit, to be with his team-mates.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said Terry had been briefly unconscious while he was treated on the pitch.

"He was unconscious, that was the major problem. He was completely out of the game immediately," Mourinho explained.

"He recovered on the pitch and I gave him some words. From the way he reacted I knew he could understand.

"It was terrible but everything happens to us this season. I am getting used to it. I am on the bench always waiting for something."

Terry had only been declared fit to play after making a quicker than expected recovery from an ankle injury he had suffered against Porto in Wednesday's Champions League draw.

Chelsea vice-captain Frank Lampard dedicated the trophy to his stricken colleague.

"I was devastated," the England midfielder said.

"As soon as he went down you could see it was bad. We were desperate to win it for him and if it's possible, we will take the trophy to him.

"He's a great captain."

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who suffered a fractured skull earlier this season at Reading, said of Terry's injury: "I think it's one of the worst moments I have experienced on the pitch because I can't remember my injury.

"But you saw the reaction of the players. For the first three or four minutes after the injury, I had other emotions."


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Terry was put in a neck brace and received oxygen after being knocked out.

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