Tuesday 18 November 2014 14:25, UK
Luka Modric faces three months on the sidelines with a thigh injury, the Croatian Football Federation has announced.
The 29-year-old sustained the problem midway through the first half of Croatia's Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy.
The news will come as a blow to Real Madrid, who revealed the former Tottenham and Dinamo Zagreb man had suffered a "tear of the left proximal rectus femoris tendon" on Monday, although they did not put a timescale on his recovery.
But the HNS has confirmed he is likely to be out of action until well after the new year.
"The Croatian national team and Real Madrid midfielder will be away from the football pitch for about three months after the injury sustained in the encounter between Italy and Croatia," said a statement on the HNS website.
"Modric, in the 28th minute of the match at the San Siro, had to ask for a substitution after experiencing pain in the muscle, and MRI scans in Madrid showed that it was a serious injury."
