Neagu out for the season

Cristina Neagu, World Handball Player of the Year in 2010, will be out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a training session on Monday morning, in the build up to Oltchim Rm. Valcea's Women's EHF Champions League Main Round opener against FTC Cargo Rail Hungaria.

In October, Neagu made her comeback to handball after a 20-month lay-off due to a shoulder injury and scored 18 goals in six matches for the Romanian champions in the Group Matches of the European top flight.

However, a torn ACL will see her season finishing early.

“She wasn’t injured in contact, her knee just cracked during a training session in preparation for Sunday’s game against FTC Cargo Rail Hungaria,” Petre Berbecaru, Oltchim’s president, said to the Romanian newspaper Pro Sport.

“She underwent an MRI and judging by the first reading, the ligaments are torn. She will be out for at least six months,” added Berbecaru.

This means the 24 year-old left back will have missed almost two and a half years in three seasons by the time she recovers from the current injury.

Neagu’s first injury, cartilage damage in her right shoulder, sidelined her for almost one year and a half, after undergoing a special procedure in the United States.

However, Oltchim’s president is confident that the Romanian side will thrive without Neagu: “We feel very sorry for her. It’s an unfortunate event, but we have to play without her.

“We have Marija Jovanovic, Alexandrina Barbosa and Adina Meiroșu, players who can cover for Cristina.

“We hope to win this year’s Champions League for her too,” concluded Berbecaru.