Shanghai Greenland Shenhua striker Demba Ba had recently confirmed that he will not hang up his boots after his latest horrific broken leg injury suffered during the team's derby with Shanghai SIPG last Sunday.

The 31-year-old former Chelsea forward was involved in an innocent collision with Red Eagles captain Sun Xiang during the 72nd minute of the match at the Hongkou Football Stadium on a Sunday night, but their legs accidentally got entangled at the last moment of the tackle, which snapped Ba's left leg in half.

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SIPG was ahead, 1-0, at that points, but Shenhua was able to score two late goals to take the victory, 2-1.

Still, Greenland head coach Gregorio Manzano hoped that they lost the game instead of losing Ba to the gruesome injury.

"If I can choose, I'd rather lose the match than lose Demba Ba," Manzano said, according to local newspapers via Daily Mail Online. "That was the kind of terrible foul that could end a player's career."

Rumors that the game would be Ba's last for his stellar career that also saw him play for the likes of Hoffenheim, West Ham United, Newcastle United, and the Blues have immediately circulated, but the Senegal international recently confirmed that he will come back.

In a recent radio interview, Ba spoke from his hospital bed to announce that he will "definitely" not retire from the sport and will return to the pitch once he is completely healed.

"This is a really bad injury but I know I can overcome it. I won't call time on my career, that's for sure," said Ba, as per Eurosport.

"They haven't done the full operation because I told them to wait. I wanted to go to Europe to have it done but when I learned that was not possible I arranged with the doctor here to sort me out a French surgeon who should arrive shortly. He will operate on me," he said.

Ba is this season's top scorer in the China top flight with 14 goals in 18 appearances and he will surely be missed by the fifth-running squad as they enter the last leg of the term.

"There are other players who have returned from similar injuries, like Hatem Ben Arfa," Ba said. "Something similar happened to me earlier in my career and the treatment options are much better now. I think I'll make a speedier return this time."

"The season here ends in November and the new one starts in March. I'll do my best to return in time for the season after that," he ended.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC, demba ba