Man kicked in face outside South Melbourne nightclub

A man who was punched to the ground and kicked in the face outside a South Melbourne nightclub will undergo major surgery this week and could be left with long-term brain damage including physical damage, police say.

The victim had been walking alone past the Albert Road nightclub at 3.30am on Monday of the Queens Birthday public holiday when two men punched him in the head and kicked him while he was lying on the ground.

Detective Senior Sergeant Damian Vendy said the unprovoked attack left the victim, 30, bleeding on the pavement with serious injuries to his face including a broken nose and jaw. He was taken The Alfred hospital.

One of the men believed to be involved in the bashing.

"He has been released from hospital but he is going to require reconstructive surgery to his face in the coming days," Sergeant Vendy said.

"There is a possibility of long-term effects as a result of the assault."

Police have released CCTV footage from the nightclub, and are hunting the two offenders, believed to be of Eastern European appearance.

Investigators have described the first offender aged in his mid-20s, 180cm tall, with a solid build and balding dark hair.

He was wearing a white T-shirt and a dark hooded jacket.

The second offender was aged in his early 20s, and was 180cm tall with a thin build and short dark hair.

He was wearing a pink shirt at the time of the attack.

Sergeant Vendy appealed for anyone who witnessed the attack to come forward.