Sporting Gijon striker Mate Bilic is facing up to a month on the sidelines with a leg injury.
The Croatia international tore a muscle during the weekend's 2-1 defeat to Tenerife, forcing him from the field after 51 minutes.
Scans have since revealed that the 29-year-old will be laid low for the coming weeks.
Sporting medics have suggested that a month of rest should be enough for Bilic to make a full recovery and be ready for first-team action once again.
While the news is not as bad as first feared, coach Manolo Preciados has been left desperately short of attacking options.
That has led to reports that Sporting could be prepared to enter the January transfer market in search of added firepower.
The club have made an impressive start to the 2009/10 campaign, currently sitting seventh in the table, and will be determined not to let their hard work go to waste.
