Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has revealed that he faces another seven weeks on the sidelines because of his knee injury.
Ozil, 26, ruptured ligaments in his left knee during the Gunners' 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Oct. 5.
Despite the injury, the former Real Madrid man still joined up with the Germany squad ahead of their Euro 2016 qualifiers against Poland and Republic of Ireland.
He did not train with the team but left the Germany camp in Frankfurt for precautionary tests with doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt after the problem in his knee was detected.
The tests revealed the ruptured ligaments, and the German Football Association (DFB) announced that the player would be out for 10 to 12 weeks.
Speaking to reporters at the Laureus Media Prize ceremony on Wednesday -- where he received an award after paying for 23 Brazilian children to have life-saving surgery -- Ozil confirmed that he would not return to action before the end of 2014.
"I've been out injured for five weeks and will miss another seven weeks. That's a long time," he said. "Sadly, I am ruled out because of my knee. But it is like that in football sometimes. Chin up, and move on."
The DFB's original diagnosis was questioned by Arsenal, with manager Arsene Wenger saying: "We have our own specialist giving us his opinion after reading the scan and examining Mesut. We will follow our own recommendations."
The story, on the club's official website, added that "Wenger knows he will be without the 25-year-old for at least two months."