Jose Gimenez is set to miss both legs of Atletico Madrid's Champions League semi-final against rivals Real Madrid after the club confirmed he has suffered an adductor injury.
The Uruguay international was taken off in the second half of Atletico's 5-0 LaLiga win over Las Palmas on Saturday and sent for tests on the problem.
The club have announced the following day he has suffered a grade two adductor strain in his left leg and will face "physiotherapy and rehabilitation treatment" to help him recover.
He is certain to miss Tuesday's first leg at Santiago Bernabeu and is highly unlikely to be available for the return fixture at Vicente Calderon on May 10.
The 22-year-old is also a doubt for Atleti's remaining league fixtures against Eibar, Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao.
The news is a major blow to head coach Diego Simeone, who has been forced to field a makeshift defence in recent weeks due to injury problems.
Gimenez has filled in at right-back in the absence of Juanfran and Sime Vrsaljko, neither of whom are expected to be available for Tuesday's match.
Thomas Partey or Stefan Savic are thus expected to start on the right side of defence, with Diego Godin and Lucas Hernandez paired at centre-back and Filipe Luis on the left.
