Aston Villa: Andreas Weimann's first team hopes on hold due to surgey shock

Sep 3 2010 by Mat Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

Weimann was stretchered off just moments after coming on as a substitute against former club Rapid Vienna in his native Austria a fortnight ago.

It ruined a dream night for the forward whose family were at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium to support him during Villa’s 1-1 Europa League draw.

And to add insult to injury Weimann was subsequently subjected to abuse by his hostile home crowd, although Vienna have since apologised.

MacDonald is backing Weimann, who made his Premier League debut as a late substitute in the win over West Ham, to bounce back stronger.

“He has ruptured the ankle ligaments,” said MacDonald. “There’s still a lot of swelling but it’s probably a couple of months. We think he will require an operation. He’ll be fine.”

Meanwhile, Villa’s medical staff are still monitoring the Achilles’ problem which has ruled Steve Sidwell out so far this season.

“Achilles tendons can be anything,” added MacDonald. “It could be a couple of days or a couple of weeks. He feels reasonably confident it will be a maximum of two weeks.”