Werder Bremen have suffered their second setback in as many days with the news that new signing Max Kruse has torn knee ligaments.
Kruse, 28, picked up the injury in Bremen's shock defeat to Sportfreunde Lotte in the first round of the DFB-Pokal Cup at the weekend.
He will travel to Munich for further examination on Tuesday, but the northern Germany club expect to be deprived of the services of the forward for several months.
#Baumann on #Kruse: "He played through the pain. We'll know more after he undergoes has a full examination tomorrow" pic.twitter.com/IYs3eJhC2T
- SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) August 22, 2016
"It's very, very bitter that we're likely to have to do without one of our key players for a long time," Bremen coach Viktor Skripnik told the Bundesliga club's website.
"We hope that Max gets fit again as quickly as possible and we will support him in the best way we can."
Bremen signed Kruse from Wolfsburg this summer in a €6 million deal.
The striker scored just six goals for the Wolves in the Bundesliga last season, having found the back of the net 11 and 12 times in the previous two seasons for Borussia Monchengladbach.