Tottenham's Vedran Corluka should be back in full training in a "few weeks" after he sprained his ankle in a bad tackle by AC Milan's Mathieu Flamini.The right-back was carried off during the second half of Spurs' 1-0 Champions League win at the San Siro on Tuesday.
A club statement said: "Should he feel no ill effects, he should be back in full training in a few weeks."
Corluka expects to be out for at least four weeks so is likely to miss the last-16 return leg on 9 March.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was incensed by Flamini's two-footed lunge, for which the former Arsenal player received a yellow card, and believed the Frenchman could have broken his player's leg.
Luckily, nothing is broken, but I will still be out for at least four weeks
Vedran Corluka
Although the 24-year-old Corluka is unlikely to recover in time for the reverse fixture at White Hart Lane, he could feature in the quarter-finals, should the Londoners progress.
The injury is another defensive setback for Redknapp as he is already without Jonathan Woodgate, who strained an adductor muscle after replacing Corluka in Italy, Younes Kaboul (knee) and Ledley King (groin).
Corluka's diagnosis is much better than was initially feared, however, and the club hopes the defender will return to light training next week after the removal of a protective boot.
"Corluka will remain immobilised in a protective boot for the next four days after a scan determined that he had sprained part of his ankle joint capsule," the statement continued.
"Following a clinical examination by a foot and ankle specialist, it has been recommended that Vedran make a gradual return to training, starting next week."
The Croatian, who missed two months of last season with ankle ligament damage, said he thought he would be sidelined for a long time.
Corluka told Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti: "As expected, after the leg cooled everything looks uglier. It's swollen and it really hurts me, even though the doctors assured me it isn't so bad.
"Luckily, nothing is broken, but I will still be out for at least four weeks. When I first saw my ankle, I was sure it would be at least two months, but luckily it is not so bad."
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport