AC Milan has announced that midfielder Pierre Kalulu will be out of action for at least three matches due to a suspension following his red card against Udinese in Serie A on Sunday.
The Frenchman was sent off in the 77th minute after lashing out at Udinese defender Alessio Romagnoli, and will now miss both legs of the round-of-16 Champions League tie with Porto, as well as the rest of the Serie A season until February 24.
Kalulu's suspension is the latest setback for AC Milan, who have struggled defensively this season, conceding nine goals in their last two games, including a 5-1 defeat to Roma in the league on Wednesday night.
However, manager Stefano Pioli remains hopeful that the team can bounce back from this setback and secure a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League, which they currently sit in second place in Group H behind Manchester City.
Pioli said: "It's not easy for us right now, but we must stay focused and work hard to get back into form."
Despite the setback, Kalulu's teammates have rallied around him, with captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic saying: "We're all disappointed for him, but he'll come back stronger."