Chelsea captain John Terry is set to miss at least the next month of the season with a knee injury.
Terry, 31, picked up the problem during the club’s 1-0 victory in the FA Cup at Queens Park Rangers on 29 January.
He was in line to return for Chelsea’s Champions League last 16 first-leg tie against Napoli on Tuesday, but he suffered a reaction in training on Monday and now faces a lengthy spell out.
A statement on the club’s official website read: “John tried hard to be ready for the game but it was clear after training on Monday that it was not going to be possible.
“He will undergo an exploratory arthroscopy in the next day or so, after which the club’s medical team will be better placed to advise on a prognosis.”
After Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat in Naples – a result which dented their hopes of reaching the last eight – manager Andre Villas-Boas said he hopes Terry can get back on the pitch quickly.
“I think four weeks would be excellent,” said the Portuguese. “We will have to wait to see how the operation goes and hopefully the player can return in that frame of time. Normally it’s four or six weeks.
“Without John we are missing a very important player for the team and have suffered a lot of goals recently, contrary to what was happening at the beginning of January.”
Terry has only missed three Barclays Premier League matches so far this season, with Chelsea lying fifth in the division.
