Roma announced on Thursday that Argentina forward Paulo Dybala will undergo surgery to address a thigh injury, ruling him out for the rest of the season. The club revealed that Dybala would undergo surgery to repair an issue with his left semitendinosus tendon, which he sustained during Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Cagliari.

Roma stated that both the player and the club had mutually agreed that surgery was the best course of action for a full recovery. However, the club did not specify how long Dybala would be sidelined. With only nine matches remaining in the Serie A season, it is almost certain that the 31-year-old will not feature again until next season.

Impact on Roma’s Champions League Push

Dybala’s absence represents a significant setback for Roma. Since Claudio Ranieri’s return as head coach in November, Roma have transformed from relegation candidates to one of the most in-form teams in Serie A. Dybala’s contributions, with eight goals and four assists in all competitions, have been crucial to Roma’s success this season.

With Roma currently four points behind fourth-place Bologna, Dybala’s absence will be felt heavily as they push for a Champions League spot. The team has won their last six Serie A matches and has only dropped six points in their last 13 games, with their last league loss coming before Christmas against Como.