Argentina and Manchester United full-back Gabriel Heinze has seriously injured himself in Man Utd's Champions League Match this week, and will be out of footballing action for at least six months. A scan has revealed serious knee ligament damage, and means he will miss the 'Albicelestes' next two World Cup South America zone qualifying matches.

The Argentina International left-back was carried off after half an hour of Manchester United's goal-less draw with Spanish side Villarreal in their Champions League group match on Wednesday.

"It's not good news. He's going to be out for most of the season. He's got a cruciate injury. It's a bad blow," Manchester United's Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson told reporters. "It was an innocuous incident but I think it was the way he landed which did the damage."

The 27-year-old's presence in the National team has been consistent since his first call up, and although the Albicelestes have already qualified for the World Cup finals in Germany next Summer, Heinze's absence for the two remaining qualifying games, the first against Peru, at home on the 8th October, and three days later away to Uruguay, will be a massive boost for both of those teams.

Uruguay, who are still very much in contention for automatic qualification themselves, will be desperate for a win against their local rivals, and will be hoping that their in-form striker Diego Forlan will be on target for the Uruguayan 'Celeste', and add to his tally of 6 goals so far in this qualifying campaign.

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