Berger Still Has Villa Role

Martin O’Neill is delighted that Patrik Berger has regained fitness and he hopes he can still have an impact this season.

Despite recent comments about moving to Slavia and being tapped up by Vladimir Smicer (legally I must add) for a move when his contract expires in the summer, O’Neill has his fingers crossed that Berger can have the same impact as last season once his fitness levels are right.

Speaking to the Evening Mail, O’Neill commented:

‘His pre-season was going particularly well and he then got injured the day before the Liverpool game.

‘Psychologically that was a big knock-back for him. He had ended the season so brilliantly the year before.

‘He has been thwarted by injuries this year, but anybody is capable of coming in because we don’t have the numbers.

‘And I am delighted to see him back again. If he is fully fit he has got every available opportunity. Anything like the impact he made in the last third of last season will be good enough.’

Berger played an hour of last nights reserve fixture and set up O’Halloran’s equiliser, so with Petrov being benched again, Berger has every chance now if he can stay fit, to give us a proper farewell and help push us closer to our European aims in the remaining matches.