Mexico star Guardado out 6-8 weeks with torn MCL

Mexican international Andres Guardado will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a knee injury he suffered in a Spanish league game on Sunday, according to his club.

Deportivo La Coruña announced on its Web site that Guardado will be out of action for up to two months with torn ligaments in his knee. Guardado was diagnosed with torn medial collateral ligaments in his left knee and as such will not be available to Mexico or Deportivo for some time.

The injury will keep Guardado out of action for Mexico's first few World Cup tune-up matches. While Mexico has not yet finalized the matches, games against El Salvador on Feb. 24 and New Zealand on March 3 have been rumored and/or confirmed by the opposing federation.

Guardado was hurt during a 1-0 win over Osasuna. Late in the match, Osasuna's Javed Nekounam tackled Guardado from behind and injured the Mexican international. For the play, Nekounam was sent off while Guardado was taken out of the match.

Long layoffs are nothing new to Guardado, who missed the first part of 2009 with injury. --Goal.com