BARCELONA (FIBA EuroBasket 2017) - Victor Claver has had surgery on a knee injury and will not be able to play for defending champions Spain at FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

The Barcelona forward hurt his left meniscus while playing in the Spanish Liga Endesa play-off series against his former team, Valencia, on Saturday.

Barcelona have announced that he has had an operation and will be out of action for five months.

Claver, a three-time EuroBasket winner, didn't play much in the title-winning Spanish sides of 2009 and 2011 but he was a big contributor when Spain reach the top of the podium in 2015.

Claver helped Spain capture a bronze medal at last summer's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

In a tweet from the hospital after getting hurt, the 28-year-old said: "This is how I saw the end of a hard season. There is nothing left to do, only to be positive to return much stronger."

Spain will play in Group C at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 against Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro and Romania.

If everything goes well with his recovery, Claver should be able to start next season on time with Barcelona and have a chance to play for Spain when they open their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 qualifying campaign.

In the first of six windows in the World Cup Qualifiers, Spain will play at Montenegro on November 23 and then host Slovenia three days later.

FIBA