Nowotny suffers new knee injury

NK Dinamo Zagreb defender Jens Nowotny faces a long absence with a knee injury - and is certainly out for the away leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie against Arsenal FC on Wednesday.

High-profile signing
The German international was a high-profile summer signing for the Croatian champions but is out for at least one month after being forced off 72 minutes into Saturday's 4-1 league win against against NK Međimurje. Nowotny, who had put through a ninth-minute own goal, was unable to continue when he felt a sharp pain in his right knee. The 32-year-old has undergone a total of four operations on his two knees, but initial examinations suggested meniscus damage rather than a more serious injury as feared.

Monday scan
A scan on Monday will reveal how long Nowotny will spend on the sidelines, but Dinamo coach Josip Kuže said: "I am sad, but if the first opinions are correct, he will not be out until Christmas." However, Nowotny will not only miss the trip to London and probably Germany's opening UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers in a fortnight, but more than likely at least Dinamo's next European game in the second week of September in either the UEFA Cup first round or, if they pull off a comeback against Europe, in the UEFA Champions League group stage.