Injury-prone Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines after damaging an Achilles tendon on Monday.
The France international has been dogged by injury over the last two years and this latest setback, which was discovered after the 31-year-old complained of pain in his Achilles following training, may end his hopes of becoming the club's new captain.
The full-back went under the knife on Monday night and does not have a set date for his return.
Sagnol claims an agreement was made when he signed a contract extension in 2006 that he would become the next skipper when Oliver Kahn retired in the summer.
With less than a week to go before the start of the season, new coach Jurgen Klinsmann has yet to decide upon his new captain and Sagnol's latest injury setback could pave the way for Mark van Bommel to take the armband.
Sagnol missed much of last season due to a hernia and was absent for almost all of 2007 after suffering a serious knee injury in the Champions League quarter-final defeat to AC Milan, but he was included in the France squad at Euro 2008.
