UPDATE (Thursday, 10:45 am ET): Atlanta United announced that Barco will miss approximately three-to-four weeks with right knee tendonitis. He will now return to Atlanta to rehab prior to the start of the 2019 season.
ORIGINAL (Wednesday, 6 pm ET): One of the most prestigious youth tournaments in the world, the South American U-20 Championship, will kick off its 2019 edition next week, but a notable MLS player set to play won't take part after all.
Argentina's national team announced on Wednesday that Ezequiel Barco has suffered an injury, and has been replaced on their squad for Boca Juniors midfielder Gonzalo Maroni.
Barco, 19, experienced a debut season with Atlanta United marked by ups and downs. He played in 26 MLS regular season games in 2018 en route to the Five Stripes' MLS Cup triumph, scoring four goals and three assists. But the teenager was benched by former manager Tata Martino midseason for disciplinary reasons and the most expensive signing to date in MLS played just 17 minutes in five MLS Cup Playoff matches.
A report from TyC Sports indicates Barco suffered a knee injury, but it is unclear how long the player will be sidelined as a result.
