RC Lens centre-back Vitorino Hilton is expected to be sidelined for two months due to a hip injury.

Surgery pending
The Brazilian is to have surgery next Monday to cure a problem which has been troubling the former Servette FC player since the start of the season. Should Jean-Pierre Papin's Lens overcome FC København in their UEFA Cup first round second leg on 4 October and progress in the competition, Hilton is likely to miss three group stage fixtures.

Regular starter
Hilton, 30, was a regular at the heart of Les Sang et Or's defence last term, featuring in 37 Ligue 1 games and nine UEFA Cup ties. He has been at the northern French club since the summer of 2004. Lens and København are level at 1-1 following last week's first match in France.