Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves has broken the fibula in his left leg. The England international had an x-ray last night, hours after he was carried from the pitch midway through a Bundesliga game against Armenia Bielefeld following a challenge with Thorben Marx.
"After we got back to Munich, we drove to see Dr Muller-Wohlfahrt," Hargeaves said. "It got x-rayed and it was revealed the left fibula was broken."
Hargreaves, who was recently courted by Manchester United, added: "I need to wear a plaster for three weeks, then we have to wait and see how the recovery goes."
Hargreaves has been in superb form for both club and country this campaign but the holding midfielder is set to miss a large part of the season.
He will be sidelined for England's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Macedonia and Croatia next month.
"That's the way it is in football," he said. "Sometimes you are flying high and all of a sudden you are down again."
England coach Steve McClaren will rue the loss of Hargreaves, who has established himself in his national team following a series of impressive performances in this summer's World Cup, particularly in the quarter-final against Portugal.
His emergence has freed Steven Gerrard to play a more attacking role in the team on the right side of midfield, where the Liverpool captain has excelled.
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick could be asked to replace Hargreaves in the holding role.
