Paulo Dybala is set to miss the rest of the season after Roma announced on Thursday that the Argentina forward would go under the knife in the hope of resolving a thigh injury.
In a statement, Roma said that Dybala "will undergo surgery in the coming days following an injury to his left semitendinosus tendon" which he picked up during Sunday's 1-0 win over Cagliari.
"The player and the club have mutually agreed that this is the best course of action for an optimal recovery," Roma added.
Roma did not say for how long Dybala would be sidelined but with only nine matches left in the current Serie A campaign the 31-year-old is almost certain not to play again until next season.
Dybala's absence will be a big blow to Roma who, since Claudio Ranieri's return as coach in November, have gone from being relegation candidates to the form team in Italy's top flight.
He has scored eight times and set up four more in all competitions, and his dynamic play would have been key to Roma's late bid for Champions League football.
Roma are four points behind fourth-place Bologna after winning their last six Serie A matches, with Ranieri's team dropping just six points in 13 matches since last losing a league game, at Como before Christmas.