PREMIER LEAGUE great Marco Gabbiadini revealed he had to stop exercising and watching football due to his heart condition.
Gabbiadini, 56, announced in May that he needs to undergo triple bypass surgery after discovering that his heart was “working at about 20 per cent” following a “slight issue” in his chest.
The Sunderland legend noticed the issue after feeling “heartburn” while exercising in the gym and found out his coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, had an 80 per cent blockage.
The Derby great is still waiting for the operation and the doctors ordered him to avoid any type of exercise – from high-tempo sports like tennis to mundane chores like gardening.
The former striker also needs to avoid any situation that could cause him stress, which means no more live football on the telly.
Gabbiadini told The Mail: “I have had to stop exercising, so I am probably in the worst shape I have ever been in my life.
“Before May, I was still playing tennis a couple of times a week, cycling, gardening, helping the kids with their house renovations.
“But the surgeon said, ‘Stop tennis, no gardening and don’t watch any football on the telly’.
“So I have been watching Sunderland games this season in full on YouTube after they have finished, so I know the score and there is no stress involved.
“Having to have that mentality when you are only in your mid-50s has been a bit of a shock. But at the same time, you have got to count your lucky stars.
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“Reporting it early meant I was put on tablets. I am on blood thinners, statins – eight different tablets to give me the best chance of getting to the surgery.
“To anyone reading this story, if you do have any issues, report is as soon as you can.”
After hanging up his boots at the age of 35, Gabbiadini turned to hospitality and now runs a B&B in York.
The ex-England Under-21 international’s Bishops guest house, which he opened in 2003, is now recognised as one of the best B&Bs in the Yorkshire city.
NOTHING stays the same forever.
And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.
Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.
Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.
There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.
Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25.
