MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Pepe will be out for at least three weeks following an injury, and could miss next month's Champions League match at Roma.

Pepe was taken off after 10 minutes of Sunday's match with Atletico Madrid after injuring a leg muscle, Real Madrid said on its website late Monday.

The Brazilian, bought for 30 million euros from Porto in 2007, has already missed a large part of the season after being injured on the first day of the league championship.