Madrid (AP): Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra will be out for six-to-nine months because of a right knee injury.
Madrid said on Monday in a statement on its website that the 27-year-old Mali international had surgery on the injury, which he sustained while playing for his country on October 11.
Diarra was out of action for two weeks after hurting his knee but returned to play on October 30. A month later, however, he aggravated the injury in a league match, the club said.
Real Madrid is in fifth place in the Spanish league, nine points behind leader Barcelona, and has nearly half its team injured. Ruud van Nistelrooy, the club's leading striker, is also out for the remainder of the season after knee surgery.
On Monday, midfielder Royston Drenthe left training early with right knee problems and looked to be in doubt for the team's Champions League match against Zenit St. Petersburg on Wednesday. In the Spanish League, Madrid's next match is at Barcelona on Saturday.