Bayern Munich have confirmed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be out until January following surgery on a broken foot.
The 31-year-old fractured a left metatarsal during training and had an operation early on Tuesday.
It is the same foot Neuer broke during last season's Champions League quarter-final second-leg defeat to Real Madrid, an injury that kept him sidelined for remainder of the campaign.
"It's terribly bad news that Manuel Neuer has once again suffered an injury," said Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
"The operation has gone perfectly and that's the most important thing for now.
"We're looking forward together without our captain. Manuel will be available to us at his old strength in January."
Neuer made his first appearance of the season in the 2-0 win over Werder Bremen on August 28 and has played a total of four games this season.
Sven Ulreich is expected to start in goal in Tuesday's Bundesliga meeting with Schalke.
Winger Arjen Robben, who is ill, is also likely to miss the match, along with defenders David Alaba and Juan Bernat, who have ankle injuries.
