Ugo Ehiogu was taken to hospital with fractured ribs and a punctured lung to compound Middlesbrough’s misery from another blank away day.
The England defender was injured five minutes into the game against Blackburn after an aerial collision with Rovers goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Ehiogu was able to walk off the pitch but was taken to a local hospital while his team-mates went down 1-0.
Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren said: “Ugo has got fractured ribs, a punctured lung and is in hospital.
“We are not having much luck as it is and that was a real blow to us.”