Knee injuries hit Höwedes and Farfán

FC Schalke 04 will almost certainly be without Jefferson Farfán and Benedikt Höwedes for the remainder of the calendar year after both players suffered similar injuries on international duty.

Farfán partially ruptured ligaments in his left knee during Peru's 2-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat by Ecuador on Tuesday, an injury which is expected to sideline the striker for at least six weeks. The 27-year-old has scored twice in ten Bundesliga appearances this term and featured in all four of his side's UEFA Europa League Group J matches.

In a further blow for the Gelsenkirchen club, captain Höwedes is also likely to miss their next two continental fixtures: at home against FC Steaua București on 1 December and at Maccabi Haifa FC 13 days later. The central defender partially ruptured ligaments in his right knee during Germany's 3-0 friendly success against the Netherlands on Tuesday.

So far there is no estimate for how long Höwedes – ever-present in the Bundesliga this season – will be unavailable. However, the nature of the injury is such that, like Farfán, the 23-year-old is unlikely to return before his side breaks up for the winter a month from today.