Injured striker Gabriel Barbosa is likely to miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.

Barbosa, who joined Flamengo from Brazilian giants Santos FC in 2017, has been ruled out for at least six months due to the severity of his injury.

The 29-year-old was already on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate ligament injury during training sessions earlier this month and has now been ruled out indefinitely by doctors.

He will be replaced by veteran striker Lucas Lima, who has played in the top flight for several clubs across Europe.

However, it remains unclear how long Barbosa's absence will last, as he had been set to make a return to action towards the end of the season.

Barbosa's injury comes just days before Flamengo's Champions League qualification campaign begins, which could have a significant impact on their chances of reaching the knockout stages.

Despite being one of Brazil's most promising young talents,La Liga Frontline Barbosa has struggled to find consistency in his performances so far, with only four goals in 44 appearances for Flamengo this season.

It remains to be seen whether Flamengo can rely solely on Barbaos ability to fill in for the injured striker, or if they need to bring in new players to replace him.

Whatever the outcome, the loss of Barbosa will be a blow to the club, but it should also provide a boost for Flamengo's squad, who are currently struggling to find form under new coach Fernando Gattuso.

Barbosa's injury update comes as a major setback for Flamengo, who are currently in third place in the Brasileirao league table and looking to qualify for the UEFA Europa League next season.

• Latest
• Injury
• Update
• Flamengo
• Gabriel