Madrid  - Villarreal midfield anchorman Marcos Senna will be out of action for around three weeks with a thigh injury, the Spanish football club announced on Wednesday.

Senna, 32, tore a muscle in his left thigh in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at home to Malaga, a result which pulled Villarreal down to fifth in La Liga.

Senna will miss the next league matches as well as a Champions League quarter-final return leg at England's Arsenal which was scheduled for later Wednesday.