Schalke 04 captain Benedikt Hoewedes will miss the coming weeks after tearing his left groin and becomes the ninth Royal Blues' player on the injury list, the club confirmed Thursday.

This is the third injury of the season for the 26-year-old Germany centre-back, who suffered the tear in Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The injury was confirmed by a scan in Munich on Thursday.

"This is really bitter news," admitted Schalke coach Jens Keller ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga match against bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig and Tuesday's derby against rivals Borussia Dortmund.

"In terms of players available, we are literally on the floor."

Schalke are third in the Bundesliga and were knocked out of the last 16 of the Champions League by Spanish giants Real.

Hoewedes joins winger Jefferson Farfan (inflamed knee), defenders Christian Fuchs (knee operation), Felipe Santana, Atsuto Uchida (leg injuries), Dennis Aogo (knee injury), plus midfielders Christian Clemens (pelvis injury), Marco Hoeger (knee injury) and Jan Kirchhoff (heel injury) on Schalke's list of walking wounded.