‘I find this terrible’ - Van Persie consoles son after sustaining knee injury in UEL clash

The 19-year-old, who has been breaking into the senior team under his father's management, recently made headlines with two stylish goals reminiscent of his famous dad's technique. However, his promising run was cut short in a devastating moment.

After coming on as a substitute, Shaqueel landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge and immediately clutched his knee in pain. 

Medical staff quickly attended to him and made the decision to carry the former Manchester City youth player off the pitch on a stretcher.

In a touching moment that went beyond his duties as a manager, Robin van Persie asked for the stretcher to be brought to the sideline. 

He knelt beside his son, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and speaking to him quietly amidst the medical team.

Shaqueel appeared distraught by the injury, and his father later confirmed the initial outlook was grim.

"It’s not looking good," Robin van Persie stated in his post-match press conference. "Tests have to point out how he’s doing, but the first signs are not looking good. 

“You hold your heart when any player goes down with an injury. It happened to be Shaqueel today, that’s just how it is."

The new Feyenoord manager spoke about the difficulty of the situation, balancing his professional and personal roles.

"You hope for the best, but when you hear the first signs that it isn’t, it’s heartbreaking," he added. "I’m a coach, but I’m also his father, and I find this terrible. It’s a bit of both."

When asked about the exchange on the touchline, Van Persie explained his fatherly instincts took over. "When Shaqueel was carried off the field, I asked how he was doing.

“I put my arm around his shoulder; that's all you can do at that moment, as a coach and as a father in this case. I just wanted to give him that warmth and the feeling that we're there for him."