Spain striker Fernando Torres will be out six weeks after right knee surgery and faces a tight race to be ready for the World Cup.
The surgery was due to take place Sunday night and will mean he misses the rest of Liverpool's season, the Premier League club said Sunday.
``Fernando saw a specialist in Spain earlier today and it was decided that he would need surgery on a torn cartilage in his right knee,'' Liverpool said in a statement. ``We cannot comment ahead of the operation but, as a guide, the usual rehabilitation period for this type of procedure is around six weeks.''
While Torres should be ready for Spain's World Cup opener against Switzerland on June 16, Liverpool will have to cope without him.
Liverpool faces Torres' former club, Atletico Madrid, on Thursday in the Europa League semifinals.
