Former Liverpool star Fernando Morientes, 49, ‘almost died’ from pulmonary embolism that left him in hospital for days

FORMER Liverpool star Fernando Morientes has opened up on a horror health scare that left him hospitalised for days.

The retired forward suffered a pulmonary embolism – a serious condition where a blood clot obstructs an artery in the lungs.

Fernando Morientes has opened up on a horror health scareNews Group Newspapers Ltd

Morientes – now a TV commentator – suffered the frightening ordeal while travelling on a plane.

He told Spanish radio station Tiempo de Juego: “I was feeling ill after so many trips.

“On one of them, my chest started to hurt, a stabbing pain below my sternum.

“I thought it was something stomach-related and didn’t want to go to the hospital.

“But that night I felt something and immediately went to the doctor.

“They started looking at my heart and saw nothing until they found an effusion in the pleura. It was a pulmonary embolism.”

Explaining his blood clot, Morientes said: “It’s a clot that formed in my knee due to the excess air on the plane and in the stationary car.

“My blood began to thicken in the air and rose to my lung. I spent five days in the hospital, almost dying.”

Morientes spent only a season at Liverpool – signing from Real Madrid in 2005 – winning the FA Cup.

In Madrid, the striker won to LaLiga titles and three Champions League trophies.

Morientes joined Valencia after leaving Liverpool and later Marseille for a season before retiring in 2010.

But in 2015, aged 38 Morientes came out of retirement to play for DAV Santa Ana – a non-league side.

Morientes, now 49, briefly managed third tier Spanish side Fuenlabrada but was sacked after eight months.

The former Spanish international – capped 47 times with 27 goals – now commentates and provides TV punditry.

Getty Images - GettyMorientes is now a TV commentator[/caption]