Last Updated: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:38
Hearts' defender Ismael Bouzid could be out for up to a month with a hamstring injury.
The Algerian defender was forced off after just 20 minutes of Hearts' CIS Cup semi-final defeat against St Mirren and scans have shown a tear in his hamstring.
Manager Jim Jefferies told Hearts Today: We'll have to look at who is available for the next game against Celtic and take it from there.
"What it it does do is give someone else an opportunity."
The defender's absence causes further problems for the new boss after the club announced that fellow centre-half Jose Goncalves will not play for the team again after rejecting a new contract and outlining his intentions to move away from Tynecastle.
Goncalves originally told the club he would he would stay and see out his contract until the end of the season but is understood to have been upset by the sacking of manager Csaba Laszlo and Jeffries says the player is now resigned to leaving.
Jefferies is understandably unhappy with the situation and told the club website: "I'd rather work hard with players who want to be here."