Villa should be fit for Ireland clash

Barcelona striker David Villa has undergone surgery on his broken shinbone and, as expected, is set to be sidelined for between four and five months, the Catalan club have announced.

That means Spain's all-time record scorer is likely to miss the majority of Barca's Primera Division and Champions League campaigns but could yet be fit for Euro 2012.

The Republic of Ireland take on the World and European champions in Group C of Euro 2012 in Gdansk on 14 June.

The 30-year-old Villa suffered the injury during the first half of Thursday's Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al-Sadd in Japan.

Barca announced last week that Villa, who returned to Spain on Friday, was likely to be absent for up to five months, and that timescale remained the same following his operation today.

A statement on the Barca website read: "David Villa has had his broken left tibia operated on this afternoon by Dr Ramon Cugat and Dr Ricard Pruna.

"The player will remain in hospital for three or four days and the recovery time will be between four and five months."