Earlier this month, FC Barcelona were dealt a huge setback heading into the Hansi Flick era as key defender Ronald Araujo suffered a serious hamstring injury while playing for Uruguay at Copa America.
The 25-year-old underwent medical examinations at the club facilities this week and it was decided that he would undergo surgery to address the problem, sidelining him for close to four months.
Araujo is an integral member of the Barcelona team and is one of the four captains as well and his absence for a prolonged period is a matter of worry for the club.
However, a larger cause of concern could be the worrying trend of injuries that the Uruguayan international has been picking up since breaking into the Barcelona first-team setup.
16 injuries since 2019
Indeed, Araujo, despite being physically prodigious, is proving to be injury-prone. The list of physical mishaps he has suffered is long and makes him an unreliable player if he is to be counted on in every game for an entire season at a club as demanding as Barcelona.
After all, the injury he suffered with Uruguay at the Copa America is the 16th he has sustained since becoming a first-team player at Barcelona, highlights AS.
Araujo’s first injury at Barça came in 2020 when he hurt his ankle playing for the reserve team, although he did not miss any matches because pre-season was already around by then.
That same year, he injured his right thigh biceps femoris against Juventus in the Champions League and missed seven games after 39 days on the sidelines.
Out for four months. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
In 2021, the hamstring problems in his right thigh started in a match against Granada, and he was sidelined for four days and one game.
The Uruguayan suffered back-to-back ankle injuries in February and went on to miss a series of games until March. Later that year, he again had hamstring problems playing for Uruguay against Argentina and missed five games.
2022 was a difficult year for Araujo in…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/cause-for-concern-barcelona-defender-has-suffered-16-injuries-since-joining-first-team/
Author : Michel Durant
Publish date : 2024-07-18 14:22:11
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