Yoane Wissa was about to realise a dream by moving to the Premier League.
But in July 2021, a month before he joined Brentford from Lorient, it very nearly turned into a living nightmare.
Wissa was attacked at his home, with acid thrown in his face. He could have lost his sight. It could have ended his career.
A woman was later convicted of the attack, and of attempting to kidnap his daughter, and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The trauma drove Wissa on.
That was clear when the then Lorient manager, Christophe Pelissier, visited the forward in hospital a day after the assault.