Norwich City have suffered a major injury blow after Ashley Barnes was ruled out of the bulk of a potential play-off campaign through injury by David Wagner. 

The experienced striker limped out of last Saturday's 2-2 draw with Swansea having not been fit enough to start the contest. 

After just 14 minutes on the pitch, he limped off and scans have subsequently revealed a calf injury that is set to sideline him for at least the next couple of weeks. 

Wagner is hopeful that Barnes would be fit enough to return for a Wembley final if City got there and was reluctant to call time on his season at Thursday's press conference. 

"He has a calf injury, as we expected. Luckily, it's not a major muscle so we will not rule him out for the rest of the season. There is a slight chance for the play-off final at Wembley. 

"This is now how we treat him, that he works hard in the treatment room with our physios and medical department to hopefully make it," Wagner said.

"Let's wait and see how he recovers and what the future will show us with him. Now, we use what we have, and in the last game [against Swansea], it was quite good what we've shown offensively, even if we didn't score more than two goals. 

"I'm quite confident and have a lot of trust in my team that they will do without Barnesy if needed."

Barnes joins Onel Hernandez and Liam Gibbs on the treatment table, with Norwich boosted by Dimi Giannoulis' return to training this week. 

The Pink Un: Norwich City will be without Ashley Barnes for the next couple of weeks,Norwich City will be without Ashley Barnes for the next couple of weeks, (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

While losing a player with Barnes's experience and mentality is a blow, Wagner hopes to tap into his knowledge base by keeping him around the dressing room for the matches ahead. 

"He does and he will [play a part]. Like Onel does, Gibbsy is every day in the training room and the canteen," Wagner said. 

"This commitment, and I've said it now over the last 10 months, was a point where not everyone believed in it, and the togetherness of this group is extraordinary. 

"I've been in a few dressing rooms over the last 20 years, and this is something special about what they have. This means the players who can't help on the pitch play their part off the pitch. This is good to have."