Buenos Aires, Argentina (World Wide Gamble) - Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo suffered a serious knee injury on Sunday and is expected to miss at least the next five months.

The 34-year-old Palermo sustained the injury in the first half of his team's 2-1 win over Lanus when he damaged the cruciate ligaments in his right knee after falling awkwardly.

Palermo is expected to undergo an operation on Tuesday that will keep him out of action for what is expected to be between five and eight months.

It is not the first time the prolific striker has suffered a major injury to his right knee, having also gone down with a similar problem in 1999.

Just a few weeks ago, Palermo scored his 194th goal for Boca, tying him with Francisco Varallo for the all-time lead, which Varallo established in 1939.