One of the world’s best opposites, a 28-year-old Tsvetan Sokolov, will wear the jersey of SuperLega side Cucine Lube Civitanova for three more seasons, not one more season as Bulgarian media reported a few days ago.
“For me, it’s an honor to be able to wear Cucine Lube Civitanova jersey for three more years. Here in Civitanova. all of us have not only goals and dreams, but we work together in the right way to make them come true. I’m sure that, in the next few years, we will always go in the same direction, which is always at the top. Lube is not just a team, Lube is a family!” one-time CEV Champions League and FIVB World League Best Opposite stated after signing a new deal with Lube, making the fans of Civitanova club happy.
But, at the same time, fans in his own country have received a bad news when it comes to Sokolov.
As sportal.bg reported, dark premonitions came true – Sokolov will be absent from volleyball for about 6 months as he will undergo a knee surgery. The intervention will prevent him from playing for Bulgaria national team in the new 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the 2018 FIVB World Championship, which his country will co-host with Italy (September 9-30).
The surgery of Sokolov is scheduled for June 4 at one of the best knee specialists in Italy during which his tendon below the left kneecap should be restored as well as calcifications removed. Grafting of cartilage lesions in the joint is also necessary.
Sokolov is unfortunate when it comes to playing major tournaments in front of the home crowd since he had missed the 2015 CEV European Championship, which Bulgaria also co-hosted with Italy, due to a severe trauma in his right arm. He underwent surgery back then as well.
In the absence of Sokolov, Bulgaria national team head coach Plamen Konstantinov will now rely when it comes to opposites on the returnee after 10 years Boyan Yordanov and Nikolay Uchikov.
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