Barcelona's Ronald Araujo to undergo surgery on thigh injury

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 26 September 2022

Barcelona announce that Ronald Araujo will undergo surgery on the thigh injury he sustained during Uruguay's friendly against Iran last week.

Barcelona have announced that Ronald Araujo is set to undergo surgery on the thigh injury he sustained while on international duty with Uruguay.

The centre-back started for his country in a friendly with Iran on September 23, but he lasted just five minutes of the contest before having to be withdrawn.

Concern was immediately raised about the prospect of Araujo missing the 2022 World Cup, with Uruguay taking on Portugal, Ghana and the Korea Republic in Group H.

The 23-year-old flew back to Barcelona following his injury, and having undergone tests, the club have confirmed that he will go under the knife as soon as Wednesday.

"The first team player Ronald Araujo will undergo surgery on Wednesday for the adductor longus tendon avulsion he has in his right thigh," a statement on fcbarceloana.com read.

Barcelona's Ronald Araujo pictured in November 2021 © Reuters

"The operation will be carried out by Dr. Lasse Lempainen, under the supervision of the club's medical staff, in Turku, Finland. When the operation is completed there will be another medical statement.

"The injury was sustained by the player on international duty during the game between Iran and Uruguay in which the player was forced off the field after five minutes of the match."

Barcelona did not put a timeline on Araujo's recovery, but a report from Marca states that the defender will be in with a chance of making the World Cup if his recovery goes to plan.

Araujo is understood to have met with first-team manager Xavi and the club's medical staff on Monday, during which he was recommended to undergo surgery on the problem rather than opt for a conservative treatment.

As long as Araujo does not suffer any relapses - which are considered less likely with a surgical approach - there is hope that he will be able to return to action after approximately six to seven weeks.

Barcelona boss Xavi on August 13, 2022 © Reuters

The Uruguay international should therefore be back on the pitch by mid-November, and his nation will commence their World Cup campaign against South Korea on November 24.

Araujo heeded the advice of club doctors to go under the knife after Barcelona experienced further problems with Ansu Fati and Samuel Umtiti, both of whom previously refused operations for their own injury problems.

Araujo has started all six of Barcelona's La Liga games in the 2022-23 season so far, and he earned a new contract at Camp Nou until 2026 earlier this year after becoming one of Xavi's most dependable defenders.

The South American represents one of several injury concerns to have cropped up for Barcelona during the international break, as Jules Kounde, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay also suffered physical problems with their countries.

France's Ousmane Dembele was also nursing a calf issue before Les Bleus' Nations League clash with Denmark, but the attacker was fit enough to make the bench in that 2-0 defeat.