Berlin (AP) – The Bulgarian national soccer player Todor Nedelew is conscious and responsive after his operation due to a traumatic brain injury, as the Bulgarian association announced.
The former FSV Mainz 05 professional was transferred from the intensive care unit of the university hospital in the Georgian capital Tbilisi to the neurosurgical department. According to the doctors, the operation went well, but there is still no specific date for the 29-year-old’s release.
The Bulgarians were involved in a serious traffic accident on Friday when they were traveling to the Nations League game in Georgia. Midfielder Nedelew, who played in Mainz from 2014 to 2016, suffered a traumatic brain injury.
“It was a serious operation and at the moment we shouldn’t rush into anything. The most important thing is that Todor stays calm and can recover as much as possible,” said Professor Shota Ingorokwa, who performed the operation, according to the association’s statement.
The Bulgarian players wore white T-shirts with Nedelev’s portrait on them ahead of Sunday’s game. During the side selection and pennant exchange, Georgia captain Guram Kashia handed Bulgaria captain Nikolai Mihailov a framed shirt with the number 8 and Nedelev’s name on it.
The Bulgarians’ accident happened on Friday after their arrival in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, where they will play their fourth group game on Sunday (6:00 p.m.). On the way to the team hotel, the driver of the first of the two buses lost control of the vehicle, which led to the serious accident. After the collision, Nedelew was transported to a local hospital.