Barcelona defender released from national team camp due to physical problem – report

Earlier today, it was confirmed that Ronald Araujo will be returning to Barcelona from the Uruguay national team camp early.

La Celeste manager Marcelo Bielsa decided to release several players, including Araujo, ahead of the team’s friendly against Ivory Coast later this week.

Araujo did not feature in the friendly against Euskadi last week either and will return without playing any minutes with Uruguay.

Araujo experiencing muscle overload

It was believed that Araujo’s release from the national team camp was not because of any fitness or injury-related issues.

However, Mundo Deportivo now reports that Araujo was released as he is experiencing some muscle overload in his thigh.

The physical problem is nothing serious. But the Uruguayan national team wanted to be cautious and released him to return to Barcelona so that he could recover and the overload did not evolve into an injury of greater magnitude.

Araujo has an overload in his thigh. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Jorge Giordano, Uruguay’s national team director, confirmed Araujo trained with the rest of the team with the “desired intensity”.

He also stated that “he was with us for 10 days, in 14 training sessions, that was the most important thing. It was decided that he should not compete with the national team even though he was fit. He is a proven footballer.”

No worry for Las Palmas clash

As mentioned earlier, the overload Araujo is experiencing is nothing serious and it does not create any doubts over the defender’s involvement in Barcelona’s upcoming game against Las Palmas.

Xavi, though, might keep a close watch on the 25-year-old’s workload in the weeks to come especially with crucial matches against the likes of PSG and Real Madrid on the horizon.