Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic has been ruled out for up to two months with a leg injury suffered against APOEL on Wednesday, claims MARCA.
Kovacic only lasted 25 minutes of Madrid’s 3-0 win over the Cypriot side in the first round of Champions League group stage matches before being force off with injury.
Scan results have revealed the Croatia international has suffered a partial tear of the adductor muscle tendon in his right leg and may not play again until the end of November.
The news will come as a huge blow for Zinedine Zidane, who has used Kovacic as his first reserve in midfield over the last 12 months.
Kovacic, 23, has been in super form in 2017 but has only managed 63 minutes of action in the league for Madrid so far this season. He could now stand to miss roughly 12 matches through injury, including games against Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham and Atletico Madrid.
Of players that have attempted at least 25 dribbles in La Liga since the start of last season, only Madrid team-mate Toni Kroos has a dribble success rate as good as Kovacic (81.6%).
