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Barcelona's Marcus McGuane will be sidelined for the next month after injuring his hamstring during Saturday's B team game against Villarreal B. England youth international McGuane was forced off just before half-time and underwent tests at the club's training ground on Monday. Barca later confirmed that they expect him to be out for around five weeks. The setback comes just after the midfielder had forced himself back into the Catalan side's reserve team, who play in the third tier of Spanish football. McGuane, 19, joined the club from Arsenal last January when the B team were still in the second division. The first six months were supposed to be used as an adaptation period, but he quickly established himself in the team. However, since making his first-team debut in the Catalan Super Cup in February, the teenager has faced a number of obstacles. The B team changed their manager in April, replacing Gerard Lopez with Garcia Pimienta, but were still relegated to the third division in May. McGuane's place in the side has since been hit by international call-ups, a return to England in the summer for personal reasons and Pimienta's preference for players that have come through Barca's La Masia academy. He finds himself competing with some of the most highly-rated youngsters at the club for a starting berth, including Oriol Busquets, Riqui Puig and Carles Alena. Despite that, he won back his spot in the XI for the 3-0 win at Ontinyent last weekend and kept his place for Saturday's match against Villarreal, when he was taken off injured. Barca B are currently fourth in the table and among the favourites to win promotion back to the second division this season.
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