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Kežman compelled to undergo surgery

Mateja Kežman is likely to miss Fenerbahçe SK's next two UEFA Champions League games as well as vital EURO qualifiers with Serbia after having knee surgery.

Mateja Kežman expects to be out of action for the next month
Mateja Kežman expects to be out of action for the next month ©Getty Images

Mateja Kežman is likely to miss Fenerbahçe SK's next two UEFA Champions League games as well as vital UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers with Serbia after undergoing knee surgery.

Serious pain
Kežman had been experiencing pain in recent weeks and though initial assessments suggested a calf injury, a scan showed he had damaged ligaments in his right knee. The striker had been told at the start of the season that the knee – which had caused him problems in his time at Club Atlético de Madrid – would not require an operation unless he was in serious pain, but he had surgery in Qatar today and will be out for a month.

'In a month'
The 28-year-old had been criticised for poor form for the Turkish champions this term, but he explained: "My injury is a serious one. For the last two or three months I have been suffering but I didn't want to abandon my team-mates and tried controlling the situation with painkillers. However, the pain got worse which has led to an operation. I think I'll be ready in a month. So far, I've performed at 20 per cent. When I return I will be ready to give 100 per cent."

Games missed
That month off will rule him out of Fenerbahçe's UEFA Champions League Group G matches at home to PSV Eindhoven and away to FC Internazionale Milano, and he will also sit out Serbia's concluding UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers at home against Kazakhstan and Poland on 17 and 21 November. Serbia are third in the eight-team Group A, three points behind second-placed Portugal and a further point adrift of leaders Poland.