AS Roma and France centre-back Philippe Mexès is set for a long spell on the sidelines after damaging cruciate ligaments in his left knee against Juventus on Sunday.

The 29-year-old was substituted six minutes into the second half of the Giallorossi's 2-0 Serie A home defeat and, consequently, is not expected to play again for another five to six months. That rules the defender – ever-present in France's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign – out of Les Bleus' next Group D match, in Belarus on 3 June, and renders him doubtful for the trips to Albania and Romania in September.

France lead their section by four points from Belarus following a 2-0 victory in Luxembourg last month, a game in which former AJ Auxerre player Mexès opened the scoring.