Having sustained an injury to his left knee during last weekend’s Ligue 1 match between ESTAC Troyes and RC Lens (1-3), Ismaëlo Ganiou (21) underwent surgery on Friday morning, the Ligue 1 club have announced.

Already absent from the Sang & Or’s away match against Club Brugge (0–3) in the Champions League on Wednesday, the young defender will be “sidelined for several weeks”, according to the medical statement. According to reports in L’Équipe, Ganiou – who was due to return to the Lens squad for tomorrow’s home match against Paris FC but who felt “further discomfort in his left knee” – is believed to have suffered a meniscus injury.

This is a huge blow for Yannick Cahuzac’s side, which has already been without Maik Nawrocki (25) since the end of August following a complete tear of his anterior cruciate ligament. With just over 24 hours to go before the clash against the Parisians, Lens are once again set to have to compete with a weakened defence.