Kashima Antlers expect to have Mitsuo Ogasawara out for up to a month after exams to his knee on Saturday revealed an injury.

Ogasawara suffered the injury after a collision during Antlers’ 4-3 loss in the AFC Champions League against Guangzhou Evergrande last Wednesday.

The club stalwart was unable to prevent their third defeat out of three matches in the competition so far, as Toninho Cerezo’s men stand on the brink of elimination.

The domestic form of Japan’s most successful side provides scant consolation too, with the club, lying 17th of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League after collecting just one point from three games.