Juan Mata is in a race against the clock to play in Melbourne Victory's A-League Men finals campaign after undergoing surgery on his arm.
The talismanic midfielder suffered a fracture to his left elbow after slipping awkwardly during the first half of the club's 1-0 loss to Wellington Phoenix last time out.
Mata underwent surgery on Tuesday, with Victory yet to determine a timeline for the 37-year-old's return.
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Victory coach Arthur Diles loses the superstar midfielder with just three regular-season rounds remaining.
Notching 12 assists and five goals across 23 league games, Mata has been crucial to guiding Victory to fourth on 35 points.
"It is disappointing to be without Juan through injury, but our priority as Melbourne Victory is supporting his recovery in every way we can," Diles said in a club statement.
"We remain hopeful of him rejoining the team during the 2025-26 season."
An away trip to take on second-placed Auckland followed by a home match against league-leaders Newcastle on their run home only compounds Victory's woes.
Sydney (34 points) and Macarthur FC (31) are hot on Victory's tails, while Wellington Phoenix are still a chance of making the top six.
Mata joins forward Jing Reec (knee) and defender Joshua Inserra (leg) on the sidelines.
