Smolarek setback for club and country

BV Borussia Dortmund

VfB Stuttgart's Croatian international defender Boris Živkovic is out for the rest of the season after requiring surgery for a throat complaint. The 29-year-old suffered the problem during last weekend's 1-0 win against Hannover 96 but the extent of the damage was only determined by medical examinations today.

Real Sociedad de Fútbol striker Darko Kovacevic has been sidelined for the remaining three games of their Spanish league campaign with an achilles injury. Club doctor Eduardo Escobar explained that the 31-year-old Serbo-Montenegrin international had been "experiencing pain for some time but fortunately was able to withstand it until now". The club are confident that Kovacevic will be able to avoid surgery with physiotherapy and should be back for the start of next season.

Australian international defender Craig Moore will leave Germany's VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach at the end of the season after asking for his contract to be terminated. The 29-year-old was signed from Rangers FC in January but coach Dick Advocaat has subsequently resigned, prompting Moore, under contract until 2006, to reconsider his position.

ACF Fiorentina right-back Christian Maggio will be out of action for approximately five months after damaging ligaments in his left knee in training. The 23-year-old, who will be operated on tomorrow, has made 13 Serie A appearances this season for a Fiorentina side hovering one point above the relegation places with three games left to play.

MKS Pogon Szczecin coach Bohumil Panik and assistant Miroslav Copjak left their posts this week ahead of the Polish Cup quarter-final first leg tie against Wisla Kraków. The Czech duo have been replaced by Boguslaw Pietrzak and Zbigniew Dlugosz. Pietrzak, who previously coached the reserves, takes over until the season's end with goalkeeping coach Dlugosz assisting. Pietrzak becomes Pogon's fourth coach of the campaign after Pavel Malura, Boguslaw Baniak and Panik. His first match at the helm against Wisla ended in a 0-0 draw.

Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with CA Boca Juniors for the return of midfielder Sebastián Battaglia to the Argentinian club. The 24-year-old joined the Spanish side on a four-and-a-half year deal from Boca in January 2004 and has since made 29 league appearances. However, his progress this term has been hampered by a muscle injury.

Former Heart of Midlothian FC manager Sandy Clark is to join the coaching staff at Scottish Premier League rivals Aberdeen FC. The 48-year-old is leaving third-division Berwick Rangers FC, where he has been in charge since October, to take up a coaching post at Pittodrie.

FK Sarajevo won 1-0 at NK Široki Brijeg in the Bosnia-Herzegovnian Cup final first leg with a solitary tenth-minute goal from Emir Obuca. Obuca struck following a superb flick-on by Alen Avdic, to give Sarajevo the advantage going into their home leg on 17 May.