The Croatian Football Federation have announced that 29-year-old creative midfielder Luka Modric will be out of action for the next 3 months, after suffering a thigh muscle problem during the first-half of their Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy.
This will come as a significant blow to Los Blancos, with Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti starting the former Spurs-man in all but one of their league games this season - proving how important he is to the side.
A statement on the Croatian FF website stated: "The Croatian national team and Real Madrid midfielder will be away from the football pitch for about three months after the injury sustained in the encounter between Italy and Croatia. Modric, in the 28th minute of the match at the San Siro, had to ask for a substitution after experiencing pain in the muscle, and MRI scans in Madrid showed that it was a serious injury."
He has suffered a "tear of the left proximal rectus femoris tendon", and this injury means that it was worse than previously thought. The midfield maestro is just one of numerous star players across Europe that have picked up injuries whilst on international duty for their respective countries. This comes days after Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was ruled out for a month with a dislocated finger, whilst Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has been sidelined for at least 3 weeks with a hamstring injury with Italy.