Barcelona admit Thomas Vermaelen could be out for six months.
The Belgian has yet to feature for the Catalan giants since his switch from Arsenal in the summer and could see his entire first season at the Nou Camp washed out.
The 29-year-old sustained the injury while playing for his country against Russia at the World Cup and will go under the knife on Tuesday in an attempt to cure the problem.
"First team footballer Thomas Vermaelen will undergo surgery on his right semitendinosus muscle by doctor Sakari Orava next Tuesday in Finland," read a statement on Barcelona's official website.
"The estimated recovery time is 4 to 6 months."
