Richards is taken off the field after suffering a hamstring tear against Denmark
Manchester City defender Micah Richards will miss the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United on 16 April because of a hamstring injury.
Richards, 22, picked up the problem in England Under-21's 4-0 victory over Denmark last Thursday and is set to be out for four to six weeks.
"It is not what I wanted to hear," he said. "I felt sick when I was told."
Meanwhile, City will seek a second opinion on whether Jerome Boateng needs surgery on his injured knee.
The German defender could face a spell on the sidelines after he damaged his meniscus on international duty for his country on Saturday.
Initial reports from the German team suggested that the 22-year-old would need an operation but City will assess the problem when Boateng returns to the club.
Of all the games to miss, a Wembley date with United is the last one any player would choose
Micah Richards
City said on their website that the injury is similar to the recent one suffered by striker Mario Balotelli, so the club are hoping he can avoid an operation.
He has made 24 appearances for his club since moving from Hamburg in June 2010 but suffered a freak knee injury which delayed his City debut.
Richards said on Monday that he would use an oxygen tent to get himself fit for the Wembley date against their Manchester rivals.
But after a hospital scan revealed a grade two tear it appears that hope has now faded.
"I knew from experience when I did it that it felt like a bad one but I was hoping for the best," Richards added.
"All I can do now is concentrate on getting back as quickly as possible. I must admit I did think 'why me?' for a while when I heard the news.
"Of all the games to miss, a Wembley date with United is the last one any player would choose."
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