Lazio striker Miroslav Klose faces up to eight weeks out with a knee injury, the club have confirmed.

The Germany international has scored 10 goals in Serie A this season but was replaced at half-time during yesterday's 3-2 defeat to Genoa and, after visiting German specialist Professor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, has been advised the injury will mean a lengthy lay-off.

A statement on the club website read: "This morning Miroslav Klose was visited by Prof. Muller Wohlfahrt in Germany, his own doctor, who diagnosed a severe lesion of the external collateral ligament in his right knee.

"The player will return to Italy either tomorrow or on Wednesday and start the protocol prescribed by the German specialist. The estimated recovery time is about seven to eight weeks."

Klose, who has scored 67 goals in 126 appearances for Germany, will miss the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan, on March 22 and Nuremberg on March 26 with Germany top of Group C.

The 34-year-old is just one goal from Gerd Muller's 38-year-old record of 68 goals for Germany.

As well as being bad news for his country, Lazio's top scorer will be sorely missed by his club. Lazio club president Claudio Lotito said: "That is the last thing we needed,"