Barcelona will reportedly have key defender Ronald Araujo fit and available for their 2023-24 La Liga opener against Getafe on Sunday night.
There were concerns over the Uruguay international's fitness when he asked to be replaced just 32 minutes into Tuesday's 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Joan Gamper Trophy contest.
Araujo pulled up following a sprint and appeared to signal that he had a problem with his hamstring, but Barcelona boss head coach Xavi said after the match that the defender had not suffered an injury.
The 24-year-old's substitution was allegedly precautionary, and according to Mundo Deportivo, he will be fit for the team's first match of the 2023-24 campaign against Getafe.
The report claims that Araujo was able to train normally with his teammates on Wednesday and will therefore be available for the team's first match of the new season.
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Araujo struggled with injury problems during the 2022-23 campaign and was absent in the latter stages of the season due to a calf problem.
The defender still managed to make 31 appearances in all competitions, though, with 22 of those outings coming in Spain's top flight, as Barcelona won the title.
Araujo's future was the subject of much speculation last year, with a number of clubs thought to be interested in signing him amid Barcelona's financial problems.
However, the South American penned a new contract in April 2022, with his current terms due to run until June 2026, and he is viewed as a vital part of the club's plans both now and in the future.
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Barcelona have managed to make three signings this summer, with Oriol Romeu, Ilkay Gundogan and Inigo Martinez arriving to boost the squad for the new campaign.
As mentioned, the Catalan outfit rounded off their preparations for the new season with a 4-2 success over Spurs on Tuesday; Robert Lewandowski sent the La Liga team ahead in the third minute of the match before Oliver Skipp netted twice for Tottenham to make it 2-1 to the visitors.
Ferran Torres levelled the scores in the 81st minute, though, before Ansu Fati and Abde Ezzalzouli both netted in the final exchanges for Xavi's side.
There was no Ousmane Dembele against the Premier League outfit, with the France international closing in on a switch to Paris Saint-Germain.
Matt Law
