Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi could be out for some time after suffering a thigh injury while playing for Germany.
Mustafi picked up the injury during his country’s 5-1 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan on Sunday evening.
He was taken off nine minutes before half-time, having clutched his right thigh in pain in the build up to Azerbaijan scoring.
“With Mustafi it seems that it is some muscle tear or some muscle fibre tear,” Germany boss Joachim Löw was quoted as saying after the game. “In any case it could force him to a longer break.”
Mustafi’s injury came after Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante suffered a hamstring injury while playing for France in a World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria.
Midfielder Kante went off 11 minutes before half-time in Sofia, where his team won 1-0.
It means Kante will miss now France’s game against Belarus on Tuesday and looks a doubt for Chelsea’s London derby away at Crystal Palace this Saturday, which would be a significant blow for the defending Premier League champions.
The Blues’ midfield options are currently limited, as summer signing Danny Drinkwater – Kante’s former team-mate at Leicester City – is recovering from a calf injury and has not played so far this season.