Kessler, Wensing blows for Wolfsburg, Germany

Germany midfielder Nadine Kessler and defender Luisa Wensing will both miss the rest of VfL Wolfsburg's UEFA Women's Champions League title defence and are doubts for the FIFA Women's World Cup.

The 26-year-old Kessler, the reigning FIFA Women's World Player of the Year and UEFA Best Women's Player in Europe, has been sidelined since October due to problems with a left knee on which she has had several operations throughout her career. After a further investigation it has been decided she will have more surgery next Thursday, ruling her out of the rest of the club season for the Frauen Bundesliga leaders.

Wolfsburg coach Ralf Kellermann, whose reigning European champions face FC Rosengård in the quarter-finals on 22 and 28 March, said: "I regret that Nadine has to be operated on again. She is a real leader, which is very important for the team both on and off the field. I hope the operation is successful and she will be able to start training soon."

Later on Friday, Wensing suffered a broken fibula in Germany's Algarve Cup match against China. The German Football Association (DFB) reported that she would be laid off for three months. European champions Germany begin their FIFA Women's World Cup campaign against Ivory Coast on 7 June in Canada.