Feyenoord hit by Hofs setback

Promising Feyenoord midfielder Nicky Hofs could be out for up to six months after snapping a cruciate ligament in his right knee.

UEFA Cup blow
The former Netherlands Under-21 international picked up the injury in a pre-season friendly against amateur outfit RKSV Schijndel. Examinations confirmed the worst and the 22-year-old could now be sidelined until the New Year, ruling him out of the UEFA Cup until after the group stage, should Feyenoord progress that far.

Key player
The loss of Hofs is a blow to Erwin Koeman, as the youngster has made a big impact at the club since joining from SBV Vitesse last winter. He scored five goals in 12 matches last term as the side, then under Ruud Gullit, claimed fourth place in the Eredivisie.

Vincken doubt
The Schijndel match will provide unhappy memories for Feyenoord as Tim Vincken also suffered a knock in the 2-2 draw, but he should recover from his hamstring injury by the end of this week. The side begin the new season at home to NAC Breda on Sunday.