Steaua's Cristocea to miss Real Madrid match

Steaua Bucharest's key midfielder Vasilica Cristocea has been ruled out of next week's Champions League match against Real Madrid by a thigh injury.

Cristocea, the team's talismanic playmaker, was coming back from a similar injury after missing Steaua's 3-0 Champions League defeat by Olympique Lyon last month.

"Cristocea strained again his leg muscle during a training session and he will not play against Real," Steaua coach Cosmin Olaroiu told Reuters on Thursday.

Steaua are third in Group E, trailing Real on goal difference, after starting out with a 4-1 away win over Dynamo Kiev. Lyon are top with a maximum six points, while the Ukrainians are yet to score a point.

Second in the Romanian league and nine points adrift of arch-rivals Dinamo Bucharest, Steaua host fourth-placed revelation CFR Cluj on Friday.