Leverkusen's Christoph Kramer knocked out cold by ball to the face

First the 2014 World Cup final, now this. 

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Christopher Kramer had to be stretchered off during Thursday's Europa League match at Villarreal after a ball struck him in the head from just a few feet away, knocking him out cold. 

Should initial fears of a concussion be confirmed, it would be Kramer's second major head injury in less than two years.

In Germany's 2014 World Cup final triumph over Argentina, Kramer, an emergency starter after Sami Khedira injured himself in warm-ups, suffered a nasty concussion after clashing heads with Ezequiel Garay. Incredibly, Kramer went on to play 14 further minutes before eventually wobbling out of the game. Afterwards, Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli revealed Kramer had forgotten that he was playing in a World Cup final.

We wish Kramer all the best and a speedy recovery.