Swansea defender Chico Flores is set to miss the League Cup final against Bradford City later this month after rupturing ligaments in his right ankle in Saturday's win over QPR.
Flores has been key to Swansea's impressive run to Wembley but the Spanish centre-back, signed from Genoa last year, was stretchered off after 34 minutes of the 4-1 victory at the Liberty Stadium.
He suffered the injury after stooping to make a low defensive header and required prolonged treatment before being taken to hospital where a scan revealed the full extent of the damage.
"It's difficult at the moment to assess how long he will be out because we need the swelling to go down first. But he is very unlikely to make the cup final." Swansea's head physio Kate Rees said on Sunday.
Flores has travelled with the rest of the Swansea squad to their warm-weather training camp in Dubai, where he will begin his rehabilitation.
But his absence would be a major blow for Swansea manager Michael Laudrup with just two weeks before the meeting with League Two minnows Bradford on February 24.
