Cagliari midfielder Alessandro Deiola is expected to be sidelined for around two months after undergoing surgery on a left knee injury.
The 31-year-old felt pain during a training session, with medical tests revealing a lesion to his lateral meniscus.
Cagliari confirmed that Deiola had surgery today at San Francesco Hospital in Nuoro. He will rest for several days before starting his rehabilitation programme.
The injury is a significant setback for a Cagliari side that has made an excellent start to the Serie A season. The club are fourth with 12 points after winning four of their five matches and suffering only one defeat.
That record leaves Cagliari one point behind the three joint leaders, Roma, Inter and Lazio.
Deiola had started every one of Cagliari’s five Serie A games this season, featuring both in midfield and as a makeshift defender. He has also scored in the Coppa Italia.
His absence leaves the club without one of their most consistent performers during the early stages of the campaign.