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Michael Laudrup admitted he didn't realise how bad Michu's bloody head wound was as Swansea City battled to Europa League victory over St Gallen.

The Swans' Spanish star was left needing stitches and several changes of shirt after being caught by the suds in a high-boot challenge from Stephane Besle in the 1-0 win at the Liberty Stadium on Thursday.

Liberty medical staff desperately tried to stem the blood after the cut to the head midway through the first-half, failing to bandage the injury before giving up and smothering his head with vaseline.

It saw him off the field for eight minutes, much to the anger of Swans fans – whose fury turned up a notch when Portuguese referee Duarte Gomes appeared to book the 27-year-old.

Gomes was actually noting Michu had returned to the field without a name on number on his shirt rather than cautioning the goalscoring sensation, with the Swans kit-team needing to rush to the club shop at half-time to print further shirts as the blood continued to flow.

But Laudrup admitted he was unaware just how bloody the injury was – although said Michu's determination to carry on was of little surprise.

“We did not know how bad it was, because he was on the other side of the field,” said Laudrup. “We said he would come back on, but we were eight minutes with 10 men.

“Fortunately nothing happened, it was not bad for him and we did not concede.

“There was a little bit of blood, so he changed to one with no number. I heard about needing to go to the club shop – I'm surprised it wasn't closed!

“He had some stitches at half-time. I don't know how many but it just shows he just wants to play, he is very important for the other players when he is in there

“He works so hard and he is really important for us, but I guess that's not really news. We talk so much about him.”

Gallery: The story of Michu's horror eight minutes

Michu couldn't take on his frustration at the injury on St Gallen with a goal, Wayne Routledge grabbing the 52nd minute winner that leaves Swansea clear of Group A and able to edge closer to the knock-out stages with home victory over winless Kuban Krasnodar in their next fixture.

But it wasn't plain sailing for Swansea who survived a first-half scare from the Swiss – who themselves were in the wars.

Striker Goran Karanovic missed a first-half penalty – not that he knew much about it later after suffering concussion when he came off worse in a challenge with goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel who had earlier comfortably saved the fluffed spot-kick.

Karanovic reportedly asked the St Gallen physio when leaving the field at half-time who the Swiss Super League side were playing and if he had scored the penalty, meaning there was litte surprise when he was promptly subbed for the second-half.

St Gallen boss Jeff Saibene said: “We are used to missing penalties as this is the fifth penalty we have missed in two years.

“He has seriously injured his head. I don't know if he needs to go to hospital. He got a real knock on the head but the doctor has to look at him first. He is still being treated.

"But he did not remember he had missed the penalty ... maybe he won't want to see it again.”