Shanghai, July 18 (IANS): Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba on Monday received an apology from his Chinese opponent Sun Xiang for a horrible accident in which his leg got broken during a Chinese Super League (CSL) football match.

In the bad-tempered Shanghai derby on Sunday, the Senegalese striker tangled with SIPG defender and captain Sun Xiang in the 63rd minute. As the pair fell, Ba's left leg was caught between the turf and his opponent's boot, bending at a sickening angle, and snapped below the knee, reports Xinhua.

The Greenland defeated SIPG 2-1 in a match which saw 10 yellow cards and two red cards and both teams were left with 10 men but Greenland coach Gregorio Manzano said he would rather "lose the match than lose Demba Ba".

On Monday, Sun paid a visit to the 31-year-old former Chelsea striker and apologised to him.

"We shook hands and I told him I was sorry. Demba Ba said 'let the bygone be bygone. Life is just like that'," said Sun, a 34-year-old former Chinese international.

"I truly hope he can recover soon. It was the first time I caused such a bad accident in my whole career and I hope it will be the last," he added.

Ba, who is expected to rest for about eight months and see his top-scoring record (14 goals) snapped, could undergo surgery in France.