Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, the LaLiga club confirmed on Saturday, dealing another blow to a team that is already managing several long-term injuries this season.
Sources have told ESPN that he is expected to be unavailable for around two and a half months.
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The injury is more serious than the hamstring problem in his other leg which kept him out for a month between August and September earlier this season.
Vinícius was forced off with a thigh injury during Brazil’s 2-1 loss to Colombia in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, and the 23-year-old returned to his club for further checks.
“He [Vinícius] has been diagnosed with a tear in his left femoral bicep which is affecting the tendon in his hamstring,” Real Madrid said in a statement.
“His recovery will be monitored.”
“We will come back stronger,” Vinícius wrote on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
Vinícius has six goals and four assists in all competitions for Madrid this season.
Real Madrid have also lost midfielder Eduardo Camavinga to injury on international duty, with the 21-year-old having torn a ligament in his right knee while training with France.
Camavinga has played in every league game for Real this season, and joins Thibaut Courtois, Éder Militão and Arda Guler on the list of Madrid players who have suffered knee injuries.
Madrid are second in LaLiga, two points behind Girona. They travel to Cadiz next Sunday when the league resumes after the international break.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report
