Espanyol captain Ivan De la Pena will go under the knife next week and could be sidelined for another three months.

The 33-year-old former Spain playmaker is to have an operation on a lower leg injury and, according to Espanyol, he will be out for between two and three months.

De la Pena has made just six league and cup appearances for the Barcelona-based club this season, the most recent of which was in November.