Viborg's Jurack expecting a child

The Women´s Champions League 2009/10 will take place without the top scorer from last season. German right back Grit Jurack, who played an important part in Danish champions Viborg HK winning the 2008/09 Champions League, is pregnant and will be out for the entire upcoming season.

“Of course, I am extremely happy! It is great to be going to become a mother! In the coming time, where I shall not be able to play, I will do everything I can to support the team from the sideline,” said the 31-year old Jurack, who will also be missed by the German national team at the World Championship in December.

For Viborg, Grit Jurack´s absence may be a severe handicap as several other key players are missing at the moment. Bojana Popovic and Nora Reiche are still on their way back after long injury breaks, and neither of them can be expected to be fit for the start of the new season, and at the same time, left winger Gitte Aaen is still suffering from a mysterious injury at the back of her thigh, and it is unknown when she will be fit for active duty again.

Looking for replacements

It has to be remembered, of course, that Viborg won the Champions League as well as the Danish championship without Reiche and Popovic, as Reiche was sidelined for the entire 2008/09 season, while Popovic was out from February. However, without Jurack Viborg seems a bit vulnerable, not least in the backcourt line, and even though the Viborg management states that Jurack´s pregnancy was expected in advance, it comes as no surprise that the club is now looking for further reinforcements for the coming season.

“We signed Gorica Acimovic already, but without last season´s Champions League top scorer, and with Bojana Popovic still outside, we will be less untouchable than last season,” Viborg director Peter Cassøe told the local newspaper Viborg Stifts Folkeblad.

“Now we will have to see if we need a couple of reinforcements in order to have a more versatile squad,” Peter Cassøe added who also stated that he feels happy for Grit Jurack, and that he is looking forward to welcoming her back into the team for the 2020/11 season. He expects to announce a new player sometime during the coming week.