Bayern Munich captain Phillip Lahm will have surgery after breaking his right ankle in training on Tuesday and will be out for up to three months.
Germany’s World Cup-winning skipper was injured in a morning training session and had to the carried off with a golf cart.
‘Lahm broke his right ankle and will need to undergo surgery soon,’ Bayern said in a statement. ‘The 31-year-old pro will be out for two-and-a-half to three months.’
He has been a key player for Pep Guardiola’s team this season, successfully switching between his new midfield role and the right-back position he played for years.
This is Lahm’s first serious injury since 2006, when he suffered an elbow problem.
The Bavarians are already without injured midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez as well as David Alaba, Holger Badstuber and forward Claudio Pizarro. Substitute goalkeepers Pepe Reina and Tom Starke are also sidelined.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, who returned to team training days ago, has also not played for months.
Bayern, however, are leading the Bundesliga and secured the fastest Champions League group qualification by any German team with two games to spare.
They take on Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday aiming to protect their four-point lead at the top before travelling to Manchester City in the Champions League in a week’s time.