Ronald Araujo’s remarkable injury record adds fuel to possible Barcelona departure

Barcelona will be without Ronald Araujo for the next four months, following the serious hamstring injury he suffered whilst playing for Uruguay at the Copa America. The defender will undergo surgery next week, before beginning the long road to recovery.

Araujo’s injury record since being promoted to the Barcelona first team in 2020 does not make for good reading. Diario AS note that he has suffered 16 different injuries over the last five years, missing 46 of the Catalans’ 213 competitive matches during that timeframe. That amounts to 21%, and that percentage will only increase over the next four months.

There’s no doubt that Araujo is considered to be a key player for Barcelona, but it’s also true to say that they cannot count on him to stay fit for a sustained period of time. There’s been heavy speculation on his future over the last 12 months, and his injury record certainly fuels debate about whether he could be cashed in on – likely in 2025.