Olof Mellberg today placed his Villa Park farewell against Wigan in jeopardy after falling ill.
The Swedish defender, set to Juventus in the summer, is suffering from a virus and missed today’s training session at Bodymoor Heath.
Manager Martin O’Neill said: “Olof has rung in ill, but it’s too early to say whether he will miss Saturday’s game. We’ll play it by ear.”
O’Neill has insisted Mellberg’s farewell is secondary to Villa’s ‘must’ of getting three points against Wigan this Saturday. Long-serving defender Mellberg will bid goodbye to Villa fans if he makes his final appearance at Villa Park before his free transfer.
The Swedish international is guaranteed a special send-off and fans are marking the occasion with ‘Mellberg Day’.
Many plan to wear yellow shirts in honour of the 30-year-old, who has made 261 appearances since joining the clun for £5.6m in 2001 from Racing Santander.
But all sentiment is lost on Villa boss O’Neill, who is only concerned with garnering another three points.
Asked about the crowd saluting Mellberg, he said: “That may well be. I don’t know. I was looking more at the general picture of how difficult the match will be.”
O’Neill insists a meeting with Wilfred Bouma’s agent to thrash out a new deal is imminent, after a clause in the Dutchman’s deal stating when he needed to know a decision expired yesterday.
He also played down reports on his presence at Coventry last weekend where he checked out Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey.
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