Muniesa ruled out with knee injury

Barcelona defender Marc Muniesa will be out for six months after tearing a ligament in his right knee during a preseason friendly.

The injury occurred during the second half of Barcelona's 2-1 win at Hamburg on Tuesday, the Spanish team's first friendly of the preseason.

The 20-year-old Muniesa had recently been promoted to Barcelona's first team after coming up through its youth program.

This is his second major leg injury. When he was 16, the homegrown Catalan player tore ligaments in his left knee.

Muniesa had been expected to help fill in Barcelona's backline, which will be without Eric Abidal while he recovers from a liver transplant.