Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto`o will be out of action for at least two months after suffering a partial tear of a tendon in his right thigh.
The 26-year-old suffered the injury just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in Wednesday`s 5-0 victory over Italian champions Inter Milan in the Gamper Trophy in Barcelona.
The three-times African Player of the Year missed a large chunk of last season after injuring his right knee during a Champions League match against Werder Bremen in September 2006.
Doctors
initially estimated the injury would keep him out for two to three months but after an operation it took him five months to return to action.
With Barcelona having signed France striker Thierry Henry in the close season and youth team players Giovani dos Santos and Bojan Krkic pushing for places in the first team squad alongside Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Eidur Gudjohnsen, the club has no shortage of attacking players at their disposal.
Barcelona host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in their first league match at the Nou Camp this season.
