Wales and Newcastle United striker Craig Bellamy could miss his country's crucial European Championship qualifying games next month due to a knee injury, his club said on Tuesday.
Bellamy has been ruled out of Newcastle's Champions League qualifying tie with Partizan Belgrade on Wednesday and his chances of featuring in the games against Italy and Finland are slim.
'I think it is a short-term injury,' Newcastle manager Bobby Robson told reporters.
'He won't play this week but after that there is a chance he will be fit next week.
'But his chances of playing for Wales, who I believe have a couple of important games coming up, have diminished. It is vital that he has the time to rest the knee properly now so that he is all right for the rest of the season.'
Wales, who remain top of Group Nine despite a 1-0 defeat by Serbia and Montenegro last week, face second-placed Italy in Milan on September 6 and Finland in Cardiff on September 10.
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Bellamy is one of the star performers along with Giggs and Davies .. he scored Wales' second goal against Italy, but the gigantic Hartson - who missed the last match against Serbia & Montenegro - is set to play ..