Klose set for three-week lay-off

FC Bayern München will be without in-form striker Miroslav Klose for the next three weeks with a calf problem, missing crucial games for club and country.

Painful calf
Klose came off during his side's 1-0 win at Bayer 04 Leverkusen at the weekend and has been unable to train since, with coach Ottmar Hitzfeld saying: "He is in a lot of pain and can't even run." Klose has been ruled out for at least three weeks, and will miss Thursday's UEFA Cup rematch at CF Os Belenenses, with the German giants defending a slender 1-0 lead in Lisbon. The coach added: "He is definitely on the sidelines [for Belenenses] and [1. FC] Nürnberg [in the Bundesliga] and for the German national team [in their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier in the Republic of Ireland on 13 October] as well." Mark van Bommel (toe) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (calf) are also rated doubtful for Thursday with Hitzfeld saying: "I hope that Bastian will be able to play on Thursday, while Van Bommel should be back to training [on Wednesday]."