Angel blow to Villa ambition

Aston Villa FC

Knee injury
The Colombian international forward will miss the next three weeks of action with a knee injury. Angel is therefore likely to sit out four league games as Villa look to improve on their seventh place in the Premiership standings.

Supply of goals
"He'll be out for about three weeks but hopefully he'll be back for a couple of games before the end of the season," said Villa manager David O'Leary. "It's obviously a blow when you look at our squad and see where the goals have come from."

Standard setback
R. Standard de Liège could be without striker Sambegou Bangoura for the rest of the Belgian season. The 22-year-old suffered a slight tear in a right knee ligament playing for the club's reserve team on Tuesday, and will be sidelined for at least three weeks. The former KSC Lokeren OV player has scored five goals in 20 games this term.

Long-term casualty
ADO Den Haag forward Rik Platvoet has been ruled out of action until next season after sustaining an achilles tendon injury in a league match against FC Zwolle on 26 March. The 28-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout the campaign, and failed to score in 12 appearances.

Contract extension
RKC Waalwijk have agreed a contract extension with left-back Marc van Hintum, keeping the 36-year-old at the Eredivisie club until summer 2005. The former Dutch international returned to Waalwijk from German side Hannover 96 last summer.

Change of status
Finally, NEC Nijmegen striker René van Rijswijk will end a five-year association with the Eredivisie club this summer by joining second division SC Cambuur Leeuwarden. The 33-year-old is out of contract at season's end.