Mellberg suffers setback

Defender unsure how long he will be out for

By Kent Hedlundh   Last updated: 25th February 2008

olof mellberg aston villa

Mellberg: Leaving in the summer

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Olof Mellberg has picked up a foot injury in training and is now facing a spell on the sidelines.

It is unclear how long the problem will keep the Aston Villa defender out for, but he was forced to sit out the 2-1 win away at Reading as a result of the knock.

He is due to undergo medical tests this week, which should then allow a more definitive prognosis to be made.

Treatment

"There was no chance that I could have played (on Sunday)," Mellberg told Sportbladet.

"But I don't know how long it will take to heal. We should know that later in the week.

"First I have to have treatment and then work on building up the injured area."

The injury comes as a blow to Mellberg as, after signing a pre-contract agreement with Juventus, he was already struggling to convince Villa boss Martin O'Neill that he deserved to be part of the side for the rest of the season.

Communication

He claims that he is not worried by the current situation though and maintains that he will continue to work hard on his return from injury to try and force his way back into the manager's plans.

"We have good communication, from my side there is no problem," Mellberg said.

"But he (O'Neill) has admitted that he is not happy with the situation. As a result, it's up to him what he wants to do.

"There is obviously a risk that I will not play again, but I will work hard to get into the team."