Grave injury for Utrecht defender Neşu

FC Utrecht's Romania defender Mihai Neşu faces an uncertain future after breaking his neck in a training-ground accident.

Following a collision with a team-mate in training, the 28-year-old ex-FC Steaua Bucureşti player was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed as having broken one of the vertebrae at the base of his skull. The eight-times international underwent surgery on Tuesday night, but there is as yet no long-term prognosis on his condition.

The Dutch club's doctor, Simon Goedegebuure, said: "It can take days, weeks or even months before we can judge when he will recover. For the moment, we have to wait and see if Mihai will regain feeling in his limbs." Neşu last played for Romania in a friendly last March, but was called up for the 0-0 UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying draw against Belarus in September.