MADRID: Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is set to be sidelined for a month after undergoing a surgery on his left knee cartilage. “Modric has successful undergone arthroscopic surgery in his left knee to remove a patellar chondral fragment,” Madrid said in a statement. The club refused to state how long Modric will be sidelined, but various Spanish media outlets reported the Real Madrid playmaker faces a month out. Modric had already been ruled out of Sunday’s La Liga clash with Eibar, but is now set to miss Croatia’s World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Finland. After the international break, Modric is also expected to sit out league meetings against Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao and Alaves, as well as a Champions League clash with Legia Warsaw. Modric’s stunning performances over the past two years have made him an important part of the Real Madrid line up as well as one of the finest midfielders in the world currently.