NEWCASTLE United's Champions' League preparations have been thrown into disarray with Laurent Robert facing three months on the sidelines.

United yesterday moved to allay fears that winger Robert had a broken back and could be out of football for a year.

But they confirmed that the 27-year-old Frenchman has a "small stress fracture'' in a vertebrae and will be out for a minimum of six weeks.

With Robert then undergoing a similar period of rehabilitation, United don't expect him to return to action until early November.

The news compounds Sir Bobby Robson's problems, with striker Craig Bellamy also missing the start of the season as he struggles to recover from knee surgery.

Robert, Sir Bobby's most costly signing for the Magpies at £9.5m, broke down during pre-season training in Holland a fortnight ago with back pain.

And after receiving the results of exhaustive tests, United released a statement saying: "Reports on Monday that Laurent Robert has a broken back are wide of the mark.

"Robert felt a pain in his back during pre-season training in Holland.

"Following extensive tests last week, results on Saturday showed that the player has a small stress fracture in a part of one of his vertebrae.

"This is not an uncommon injury in athletes. Treatment normally lasts six weeks followed by rehabilitation.''

Robert, who was yesterday discussing his condition with United's medical team, arrived from Paris St. Germain last summer but proved something of an enigma in his first season on Tyneside, with his form veering from the sublime to sub-standard.

He scored ten goals, but his often-languid style and almost arrogant demeanour was not always to the liking of his teammates; he was involved in a training-ground spat with right-back Andy Griffin and accused of not trying by skipper Alan Shearer after the 3-0 defeat at Liverpool in March, which effectively killed off United's title hopes.

Robson has consistently spoken of the need for Robert to show greater application.

But the United manager also believes that, on his day, he is as potent a threat as Arsenal's Player of the Year Robert Pires.

Consequently, Robson will feel the loss of Robert keenly as he readies his side for the first leg of their Champions' League qualifier next week ahead of the Premiership kick-off.

Portuguese new boy Hugo Viana has operated in Robert's left-wing role during United's warm-up campaign.

But the £8.5m summer capture from Sporting Lisbon is far from comfortable in the position, and Robson may decide to push Frenchman Olivier Bernard forward from left-back and bring Robbie Elliott into defence.

Welsh international Bellamy will step up his rehabilitation this week after being ordered to take a fortnight's break.

But Robson has already admitted he has no idea when Bellamy will be ready to resume playing.

Lomana LuaLua has seized his chance in Bellamy's absence, scoring six goals in pre-season including both in Saturday's 2-0 win at Wolves, and will partner Shearer in tomorrow night's glamour friendly with Barcelona at St. James' Park.

Newcastle, meanwhile, have confirmed the potential dates for the first leg of the Champions' League qualifier.

Should they meet Bosnia's NK Zeljeznicar, the first leg will take place in Sarajevo a week tomorrow (7:15pm BST).

But if Lillestrom SK overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Zeljeznicar in Sarajevo tomorrow night, Newcastle will travel to Norway a week tonight (7:45pm BST).

The second leg will be at St. James' three weeks tomorrow.

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