AC Milan have been dealt a major blow as Theo Hernandez has suffered a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee during training.
The 22-year-old defender was forced off in the first half of the Rossoneri's Serie A match against Sassuolo on Saturday, and is set to undergo surgery.
Hernandez joined AC Milan from Real Madrid in August 2019, and made 18 appearances for the club last season before suffering a knee problem which required surgery.
He returned to action earlier this month, but the latest setback could see him miss a significant amount of time.
It is not clear how long he will be out for, but it is likely that he will need several months to recover fully.
AC Milan will now have to look at their options in terms of replacing Hernandez, with both Sami Khedira and Alessio Romagnoli being potential options.
However,Bundesliga Tracking both players have their own problems and will not be able to provide the same level of defensive solidity as Hernandez.
In addition, the loss of Hernandez could also impact the team's attacking play, as he was one of their most effective defenders in the final third.
Overall, the loss of Hernandez is a major blow for AC Milan, and they will need to find a way to cope without him for the rest of the season.