El Hamdaoui injury blunts AZ threat

AZ Alkmaar will be without leading scorer Mounir El Hamdaoui for up to four weeks after the 25-year-old striker tore a muscle in his left leg, ruling him out of the Dutch champions' trip to Arsenal FC on Wednesday.

Muscle tear
El Hamdaoui picked up the injury during last Wednesday's Dutch Cup Round of 32 victory against SV Spakenburg. An MRI scan on Monday revealed a small tear in the upper left leg which will keep him out for up to a month. El Hamdaoui, who has scored six times in nine Eredivisie games and once in the UEFA Champions League this term, will miss this week's trip to London and is also a doubt for the home game against Olympiacos FC on 24 November, though he should be back for the final Group H match at R. Standard de Liège on 9 December. AZ are third in the section on two points, four behind second-placed Olympiacos and seven off Arsenal, who they drew 1-1 against on Matchday 3.