Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts will be without regular defender Stuart Findlay for six weeks, while record signing Eduardo Ayew will miss the remainder of the season.
Head coach Derek McInnes also confirmed that goalkeeper Craig Gordon’s shoulder injury may rule him out of Scotland’s friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast in March.
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Findlay, 30, has been a key figure for the league leaders, starting all 28 Premier League games at the back but was forced off with a hamstring injury in the win over Falkirk.
Brazilian midfielder Ayew made his first start against Rangers at Ibrox but will miss next season as he requires thigh surgery.
Gordon has also had limited minutes for Hearts this season but is one of the key players in Scotland’s first World Cup finals since 1998.
Beni Baningime, Oisin McEntee and Sabah Kerjota are also injured but there is still a chance against Aberdeen on Saturday as Hearts bid for a first league title since 1960.
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McInnes said he hoped Findlay and captain Laurence Shankland, who has been out since January 17 with a hamstring injury, could return for the final pre-division game against Motherwell on April 11.
Another key figure, midfielder Kami Devlin, is set to return in “two to three weeks”, as is defender Stephen Kingsley, according to McInnes.
Hearts are four points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premier League table.
“As things stand, we have 11 players unavailable for training today, but we still have enough players to train and field a strong team and a strong team on Saturday,” McInnis said.
“So my focus is on the guys who are available and just trying to get one or two guys in that 50-50 category available on the weekends.
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“It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself, it’s easy to think: ‘Why us? Why me?’ But it’s unrealistic to run a full campaign [without injuries].
“This is a league where you have to go through these different trials and challenges.
“There’s no doubt we have a challenge now. Once we get through the next four games, we’ll be even stronger going into the final round.”
“It feels like the transfer window opens in April. So you have to take the good and the bad.”
Midfielder McEntee visited a specialist on Wednesday morning with a shoulder problem, with scans showing “pretty positive” news.
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Baningim has some bruising on his calf and McInnes said the midfielder hopes he will be able to train and feature against Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Friday.
Cojota, meanwhile, picked up a hip strain in Tuesday’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Dundee, but he could also be fit for the match.
[BBC]