Modric faces month out after knee surgery

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is set to be sidelined for a month after undergoing surgery on a left knee cartilage injury on Sunday.

“Modric has today undergone successful arthroscopic surgery in his left knee to remove a patellar chondral fragment,” Madrid said in a statement.

The club refused to state how long Modric will be sidelined, but various Spanish media outlets reported the former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker faces a month out.

Modric had already been ruled out of Sunday’s La Liga clash with Eibar, but is now set to miss Croatia’s World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Finland.

After the international break, Modric is also expected to sit out league meetings against Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao and Alaves, as well as a Champions League clash with Legia Warsaw.

Modric’s stunning performances over the past two years have made him one of Madrid’s most important players alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

However, coach Zinedine Zidane has a wealth of creative midfield options in Isco, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio to fill in during Modric’s absence.