FC Barcelona will be without central defender Ronald Araujo for around four months after the club confirmed he will need an operation on a tendon injury he suffered while playing for Uruguay in the Copa America.
Araujo suffered what was initially thought to be a torn hamstring in Uruguay’s win against Brazil a week ago, but the club issued a medical update on Monday, confirming he “has a tendon injury in his right hamstring.”
“In the coming days he will undergo a surgical procedure at the hands of Dr. Lasse Lempainen, under the supervision of the Club’s medical staff, in Turku, Finland. When the procedure has been completed, there will be another medical update,” informed the Barcelona website.
Although the club doesn’t offer a return date, Araujo, who has suffered 11 different injuries in the last two years, is unlikely to recover before the middle of November, leaving new coach Hansi Flick with a big problem.
Barcelona’s teenage international Pau Cubarsi is away with the Spain squad for the Olympic Games and is also likely to miss the start of the season. Meanwhile, midfielder Pedri damaged knee ligaments against Germany in the European Championship and will struggle to be fit for the kickoff, while Gavi has still not fully recovered from his knee operation, and Frenkie de Jong is still struggling with the ankle problem that troubled him for much of last season.
