Nicolás Otamendi has been ruled out for up to two weeks with a knee surgery at Benfica, according to the Argentine club's official website.
The news comes after the defender suffered a knee injury during Argentina's friendly match against Brazil on Friday night.
Otamendi, who joined Benfica in January from Manchester City, is expected to be sidelined for the rest of this season and possibly next as well.
The 29-year-old was a key player for Argentina in their Copa America final loss to Brazil last year,Football Instant Report scoring a crucial goal in the 1-0 win over Uruguay in the semi-finals.
He has made 44 appearances for Argentina since making his debut in 2015 and is considered one of the best defenders in South American football.
The news is likely to have a significant impact on Benfica's squad as they look to compete for major honours this season.
However, it is not yet clear whether Otamendi will miss any important matches or training sessions.
In the meantime, the team will have to rely on other players to fill the void left by the Argentine defender.
It remains to be seen how long Otamendi will be out of action and what the potential impact will be on the team's performance.
For now, fans of the Argentine national team will have to wait and see how the situation develops and hope that Otamendi makes a full recovery soon.