Marcelo breaks foot in Brazil practice

SAO PAULO (AP)

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Real Madrid left back Marcelo broke his right foot in training with Brazil on Sunday and will be sidelined until at least the end of the year.

Brazil doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said the defender will be out for at least three months because of the injury sustained in Poland, where the team will play Japan in a friendly on Tuesday.

Lasmar said Marcelo's injury may require surgery, but the player will return to Spain on Monday to be evaluated by Real Madrid doctors.

Initially it was thought that Marcelo only twisted his ankle, but exams later showed that he had a fracture.

The injury takes him out of the Real Madrid team through the end of the year, but Brazil has only one other friendly scheduled this year, against Colombia in November.

''I'll be back soon,'' Marcelo said. ''There is still a lot of time for me to be back in time for the 2013 Confederations Cup.''

The Confederations Cup at home next June will be Brazil's last test before it hosts the 2014 World Cup.

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Marcelo has been Brazil's starter at left back under coach Mano Menezes, who will not replace him in the squad ahead of Tuesday's match.

''It's sad to leave like this, but it won't be for long, I'm sure,'' Marcelo said.

Menezes will likely improvise and use AS Roma central defender Leandro Castan in Marcelo's position against Japan. His immediate substitute, Adriano, is playing on the right side of the defense because regular starter Daniel Alves was dropped from the squad because of a muscle injury.

Defender Alex Sandro also had to be dropped because of a muscle injury.

As World Cup host, Brazil is not playing South American qualifiers. It beat Iraq 6-0 in a friendly in Sweden on Thursday.