Barcelona football club will be without defender Adriano Correia for around three weeks after the player suffered a muscle injury while being on international duty with Brazil.

The club confirmed on Tuesday that Adriano has a small tear in his left hamstring.

The injury means he will miss this weekend's home match in the Primera Liga when Barcelona entertain Zaragoza Saturday as well as their vital Champions League tie away to AC Milan next week in which they need to avoid defeat to ensure finishing top of their qualifying group and assuring a theoretically easier draw in the knockout stages of the competition, Xinhua reported.

Fortunately for Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, his side's injury problems have receded in recent weeks with players such as Alexis Sanchez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique all recovering from muscle injuries.

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"We were a bit too confident and sure of ourselves, and we were caught cold. We start each season the same, with the desire to go all the way in every competition. At United, winning one title per season just doesn't cut it.

"We're obliged to win several, if not all of them. This year, the main goal is to win a fourth championship in a row, which would be historic.

"But we're also hoping to win the Champions League again, because the defeat in last year's final still sticks in all our throats. Personally, though I've already won it, I'd like to win it three times before ending my career.

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