Eric Garcia: We miss Araujo and we await him with open arms

"In matters of health, everyone is in charge of themselves. I hope he has patience and that he can return as soon as possible," said the Barcelona defender, whose contract has been extended until 2031, about the Uruguayan.

Eric Garcia, renewed by Barcelona until 2031, joined the words of encouragement for Ronald Araujo, who has been out of the squad for two weeks due to mental health issues after receiving heavy criticism for his performance in the match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Martorell's defender showed solidarity with the Uruguayan right after signing his new contract as a Barcelona player: "We miss him, both as a player and as a person. He is a very beloved person. We await him with open arms. In matters of health, everyone is in charge of themselves. I hope he has patience and that he can return as soon as possible. He is a very important player and we miss him."

On Tuesday, after winning (2-1) against Eintracht Frankfurt, Pedri spoke in similar terms about his friend Ronald Araujo: "It's not an easy topic. I've given him all the encouragement in the world, and I've already talked to him privately. He's one more of the family, we love him very much and we need him both on and off the pitch. These are things that happen; there are mistakes on and off the pitch. We all make mistakes and we need him because, for me, he's a brother. I love him very much and I hope he's with us as soon as possible, when he's well."

Araujo arrived in Israel on Tuesday on a spiritual journey in the Holy Land. The Charrua, with strong convictions, needs time away from the daily routine of Barcelona to become the reliable player he once was.