Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti has said defender Jerome Boateng will be sidelined for around six weeks after undergoing an operation on a pectoral tendon injury.
Boateng missed Bayern's weekend win at Darmstadt on Sunday, with Ancelotti confirming that the Germany international "felt some pain after suffering a pectoral injury in training on Thursday."
Ancelotti had initially hoped Boateng might be able to play in the top-of-the-table clash at home to RB Leipzig on Wednesday -- the last game before the Bundesliga winter break.
Get well soon, @JB17Official! #Boateng has successfully undergone surgery on a pectoral tendon. More soon at https://t.co/HrQKLid2Ov pic.twitter.com/Y1HgvNHpa3
- FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) December 20, 2016
And speaking at a news conference ahead of that game, he said: "The operation went well and he's OK.
"He'll be missing for about six weeks, and we hope to have him back fit after the winter break is over."
Bayern's first game after the winter break is at Freiburg on Jan. 20.
ESPN FC's Bayern Munich correspondent Mark Lovell contributed to this report.