Barcelona injured stalwart expected to make long-awaited comeback by November end | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have shown considerable signs of improvement compared to last season with successive victories in La Liga marking a strong start to the Hansi Flick era.

However, an infuriating theme from last season appears to extend into the current campaign: the club’s fickle fortune with injuries.

Having a fully fit roster is starting to appear like a far-sighted dream for the Catalan giants, with several notable absentees missing from the ranks.

Ronald Araujo is one of the star names not to have enjoyed the privilege of playing any minutes this season after the Uruguayan injured his right hamstring in the Copa America this summer.

Return forecasted by the end of November

Now, according to SPORT having completed the initial phase of his recovery, Araujo will return to Barcelona on Friday and is expected to be seen at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper next week.

The club’s medical staff will evaluate his progress, and the Uruguayan centre-back will begin working closely with the recovery team.

Araujo could return in November. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

In fact, the goal is for him to return to action by the end of November, roughly four months after his surgery in Finland.

Staying off social media, Araujo has been quietly working with a physiotherapist in Uruguay, while monitoring the team’s four straight victories under new coach Hansi Flick, who eagerly awaits his return.

Araujo expected to play a key role

While the centre-back pairing of Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi has shown potential, Martinez’s lack of recovery speed and age make it challenging for him to cover large distances or consistently defend in a high line.

As such, Araujo’s front-footed nature is expected to be an indispensable trait for Flick, especially considering that the 25-year-old defender formed a complementary partnership with Cubarsi last season.