Borussia Dortmund skipper Marco Reus faces missing the upcoming Qatar World Cup with Germany after being stretchered off in Saturday's derby match against Schalke.
Reus, 33, had to leave the pitch aided by Dortmund medical staff in the first half following a collision with Schalke's Florian Flick.
The Dortmund captain has been plagued by injuries in the build up to major international tournaments before with his latest injury creating further cause for concern.
Reus unnaturally rolled his ankle as he and Flick both challenged for the ball and was left in tears as he lay on the turf receiving treatment.
Eventually it was decided the German needed to leave the pitch via stretcher with four medical personnel taking him back down the tunnel on a stretcher.
The yellow wall of the Signal Iduna Park rose to their feet to give their long-serving player a standing ovation as Reus exited the pitch to undergo more tests to determine the severity of his injury.
With just over two months to go until the winter World Cup kicks off, Reus now faces the prospect of having to undergo a lengthy rehabilitation process.
Reus was selected as part of national team coach Hansi Flick's upcoming Nations League squad for matches against Hungary and England at the end of September.
Flick will now be left sweating on the fitness of the experienced winger who is one of the more experienced members of the youthful-looking Germany squad.
Reus previously missed Germany's World Cup win in 2014 with an ankle injury sustained in a warm-up game that ruled hi m out of the entire tournament before a groin injury ruled him out of the 2016 Euros.
The German then played in his nation's unsuccessful World Cup defence in Russia in 2018. He then opted to skip the next European Championship in England to recover from domestic football with his Bundesliga club.