Broken finger rules Celje's Lekai out for the rest of the season

The victory in the Slovenian national cup on Sunday (3 March) has come at a high price for VELUX EHF Champions League participant, Celje Pivovarna Laško, as 24-year-old Mate Lekai was injured and is likely to miss the rest of the season.

That means that the Slovenian team will go into VELUX EHF Champions League Round of Last 16 match against HSV Hamburg on 16 March without their inspirational player who, in his first season for the team, had scored 21 goals so far this season.

The injury occured already in first half of the final against rivals Gorenje Velenje when Lekai broke a finger of his right hand - but it did not stop him in the first place.

It was only the visit to the doctor's on Monday that revealed the full extent of his injury. According to a statement released by Celje, surgery is likely and the Hungarian international will have a metal plate inserted to stabilise the hand.

It is most likely that Lekai will be out for the rest of the season, the statement also read.