Bayern Munich have suffered a huge blow with the news captain Philipp Lahm will be out of action for up to three months after breaking his ankle on Tuesday.
The former Germany skipper was driven away from the training ground on a cart after going over on his right ankle while training with the Bavarian giants.
Subsequent tests have shown that the 31-year-old full-back will need to undergo an operation which is likely to sideline him until well after the new year.
The club said on their official website: "A thorough investigation by club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt in the early afternoon confirmed the initial fears: Lahm broke his right ankle and needs surgery promptly.
"The 31-year-old FCB professional will thus miss two-and-a-half to three months."
Lahm, who retired from international duty after winning the World Cup last summer, has played in every single one of Bayern's Bundesliga matches this season and has also featured in their four Champions League games.
In an interview on the Bavarian club's website published on Tuesday morning, he said he has never regretted his decision to quit playing for Germany.
"It's very nice to have a few days off and to be able to switch off, recover and spend time with your family," he said.
"It does you good. In recent years, I've been used to playing practically every midweek, or at least it seemed that way.
"But my retirement was not something that just happened in the summer - I had given it a lot of thought before, and it is not like I have quit playing football altogether.
"So when I sit (and watch Germany play), I'm not in any way wishing I was there playing with them. Instead, I know that I'll be playing at the Allianz Arena against Hoffenheim next week."
That will no longer be the case, as Lahm joins Bayern team-mates Holger Badstuber, Javi Martinez, David Alaba, Thiago, Claudio Pizarro, Tom Starke and Pepe Reina on the sidelines.
Source: PA
