Aston Villa are optimistic defender Wilfred Bouma will return in four to six months after a successful operation on his dislocated right ankle.

The 30-year-old suffered the injury in Villa’s Intertoto Cup victory over Odense BK on Saturday.

Bouma had an operation on Sunday, during which the ankle was reset and a plate inserted to stabilise the area.

“The operation went very well. Freddie is in good spirits,” manager Martin O’Neill told Villa’s website.

“Everybody is very optimistic he will make a rapid recovery.

“It was a bad injury but with the level of treatment he has had and the post-operative prognosis we’ve been given, we’re all hoping to see him back, perhaps sooner than everyone expected on Saturday night.”

The injury happened in the first 15 minutes of the match against Danish side Odense at Villa Park.

Bouma’s team-mates looked on in shock as the left-back underwent treatment before being replaced by Gareth Barry.

The Dutchman was taken to hospital where an X-ray showed his right ankle was dislocated rather than broken - and Villa boss O’Neill initially feared the worst.

“I am a bit squeamish and the pictures were not so good,” said O’Neill after Villa’s 1-0 win, which gave the Midlands club a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the final qualifying round of the Uefa Cup.

Bouma joined Villa from PSV Eindhoven for £3.5m in August 2005 and O’Neill added: “It’s terrible news because he played every single game last season. He was fantastic but he’ll come through it.”

Ref From bbc.co.uk

Rosenborg booked their place in the second qualifying round of the Uefa Cup with a 2-0 win over NAC Breda in the Intertoto Cup.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Holland, Rosenborg produced a rallying performance to keep alive their hopes of European football.

Fredrik Stoor marked his farewell appearance for Rosenborg before an impending move to Fulham by opening the scoring on 34 minutes with a powerful shot.

Veteran striker Steffen Iversen doubled Rosenborg’s lead five minutes into the second half when he kept his cool to score from the penalty spot.

Rosenborg ended the game with ten men after Vadim Demidov was sent off in the closing stages for apparent time-wasting, but they held on to secure their spot in Friday’s Uefa Cup draw.

IF Elfsborg sneaked into the draw after edging out FK Rîga 1-0 on aggregate following a goalless draw in the second leg.

The Swedish side maintained their advantage from the first leg with a resolute defensive display in Latvia to end FK Riga’s Uefa Cup hopes.

Ref From skysports.com

Edy Reja is intensely proud to have taken Napoli from Serie C into Europe as today they encounter Panionios for the Intertoto Cup.

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At 17.00 UK time the Third Round tie kicks off in Greece and the decider is at the San Paolo next Saturday evening.

“We do feel nervous, but the real emotion will pour out when we step on to the field,” said the Coach.

“There is reason to feel proud, as two and a half years ago we were in Serie C, now we are challenging for a place on the European stage.

“I am happy for Napoli, the city and all its fans. If we are here today then it is thanks to President Aurelio De Laurentiis and everyone at the club.”

The Azzurri went bankrupt and were knocked down to Serie C with new owners, but Reja has been at the helm to guide them back up to the focus of Italian football.

“I remember coming to Napoli in a very difficult situation. The club was taking its first steps and we are now well ahead of schedule.

“It really feels strange to think back on that now. Personally I consider it a moral victory for all the hard work we’ve done in these years.”

Their opponents tonight in Athens will be Greek side Panionios and Reja has no intention of playing a cagey match.

“They are a dangerous team who are strong on home turf. They beat OFK Belgrade 3-1 here in the last round, but could easily have scored five,” continued the Coach.

“It will be very hot and Panionios want to make their mark against a prestigious side like Napoli. We have to be balanced and also ready to strike at the right moment. To wait and play it all in the second leg would be tactical suicide.”

It is Napoli’s first European game since a 1-0 UEFA Cup defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt on December 7, 1994.

Ref From channel4.com