Roma defender Jonathan Zebina has been hospitalised with a rare virus and now may face a lengthy period away from the game.

Coach Fabio Capello said of the 24-year-old Frenchman: “The player is not feeling good. He isn’t training with the team because of medical reasons.

‘He has a virus and he has been hospitalised for three days, after taking antibiotics for more than a week.”

The Roma club doctor explained: “Zebina has a rare inflammation that has causeda serious depression of his immunity defences. His lymph nodes are seriously inflamed.”