Mexico and Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Marco Fabian will miss out on the rest of the year with back surgery scheduled for later this month, the club announced Thursday.
After initially planning to take two months off for a conservative treatment that wouldn't require surgery, Fabian and the club now are opting for the procedure. Dr. Michael Dittmar, who is based in Houston, will perform the surgery.
Mexico 80/1 to win World Cup 2018
The recovery will keep Fabian from the field for the rest of the year, meaning Mexico national team coach Juan Carlos Osorio won't be able to call him for the four remaining World Cup qualification matches of the Hexagonal.
"It was a big blow for Marco and for us that his back pain was not improving," Eintracht board member Fredi Bobic said in a club statement. "We hope for a successful operation and that he will fully recover, all the best to him."
Frankfurt is reportedly preparing a move for Kevin-Prince Boateng, who recently left Las Palmas, to replace Fabian in the near term.
It isn't the first time a back issue has bothered the Guadalajara native. Last winter, Fabian overcame pain so bad he said he struggled to walk but returned to the field toward the end of the season. He scored one goal over three Confederations Cup appearances in the summer.
