Real Madrid have confirmed Sunday the extent of the knee injury suffered by central defender Pepe, who will be out of action for a minimum of six months. The 26-year-old damaged his right knee after falling badly inn the first half of his side's 3-2 win in Valencia and had to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Initial diagnosis pointed to knee ligament damage and tests carried out on Sunday have confirmed the worst.

Real Madrid's Pepe smiles as he runs with the ball during a training session at the San Siro stadium in Milan November 2, 2009. Real Madrid have confirmed Sunday the extent of the knee injury suffered by central defender Pepe, who will be out of action for a minimum of six months

Pepe has ruptured his cruciate ligament and will need an operation. He will not play for Real Madrid again this season.

He also can be considered a doubt for the Portugal side in the World Cup finals.

Real Madrid director of sport Jorge Valdano highlighted the players importance to the squad and refused to rule out the club signing a replacement in January.

"Pepe is irreplaceable. There is no other Pepe, but we will have to look into the possibility of balancing out the squad. We will look into the transfer market, but there is nobody in the world like him," he said on the club website.

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