Universitatea player in coma

FC Universitatea Craiova goalkeeper Cristian Neamtu was dangerously ill in hospital in Cyprus on Friday after a training ground accident.

'All we can do now is pray'
The 21-year-old reserve goalkeeper suffered a brain haemorrhage after being accidentally kicked during the club's training camp in Larnaca and is said to be in a critical condition in a Nicosia hospital. "All we can do now is pray," said Universitatea coach Florin Marin who is with Neamtu in Nicosia. "This is the worst thing that has happened to me in my career."

Initial assessments
Neamtu, who played in the Romanian first division for UFC Electro and AS Rosar Bucuresti last season, was not thought to be in such a serious condition when he was first injured in training. He fell to the ground and almost swallowed his tongue but at first doctors only suspected that he had broken his jaw.

Internal bleeding
He was transported to hospital but it quickly became clear that his situation was much worse than originally thought and he was taken 55km to another hospital in Nicosia for scans. These showed that in addition to breaking his jaw, the blow had caused serious internal bleeding in Neamtu's brain which has left him in a coma.

Inoperable condition
Six doctors are treating the goalkeeper but surgeons have been unable to operate on him. Neamtu's mother has been given an emergency passport in order to fly to her son's bedside.

Stayed with Neamtu
Universitatea played a friendly game against Ukrainian side FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on Friday but Marin, their coach, stayed with Neamtu rather than watching his side in action.