Rio De Janeiro, Jan 27 : Brazilian footballer Robinho faces an extended spell on the sidelines after scans revealed a broken bone in his back.
The 33-year-old Atletico Mineiro player suffered the injury during Brazil's 1-0 friendly victory over Colombia on Thursday, a match that raised money for victims of the Chapecoense air disaster, reports Xinhua news agency.
"Robinho suffered trauma in his back - a small fracture in the third vertebra," Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said on Thursday.
"It's similar to the one that Neymar had at the (2014) World Cup, but this is a little different because it's an incomplete fracture without any deviation," Lasmar added.
Robinho is expected to miss most or all of Atletico Mineiro's Campeonato Mineiro campaign, which begins on Saturday.
