ROME (AFP) - Patrick Vieira is set to be out of action for the rest of this year after suffering a right calf injury in Inter Milan's Champions League win over CSKA Moscow on Tuesday.

The French midfielder came off after just 17 minutes in the game in what was only his second appearance of the season with a number of Italian medical experts predicting a two month spell on the sidelines.

After further medical tests Inter confirmed the initial diagnosis in a statement on Thursday without specifying how long the midfielder would need to recover from this latest setback.

Vieira will miss a string of key Serie A games for Inter as well as their Champions League fixtures and an international friendly against Morocco on November 16 followed by France's key Euro 2008 qualifier against Ukraine in Kiev five days later.

Last Saturday Vieira returned for his first match of the season against Reggina after recovering from a thigh problem he picked up in France's 1-0 home loss to Scotland in their Euro 2008 qualifier last month.