Barcelona defensive heavyweight a serious doubt for Rayo Vallecano clash

After three days of rest, FC Barcelona resumed training for Monday’s La Liga encounter against Rayo Vallecano.

However, they did so without the presence of key defender Ronald Araujo, who is going through an injury-riddled campaign.

Araujo remains a doubt for Vallecano clash

As such, SPORT reports that Ronald Araujo remains a serious doubt for Monday’s clash between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano.

The Uruguayan centre-back is still recovering from a knock to his right ankle, sustained in the recent clash against Sevilla.

A heavy challenge against Sevilla forced him to be substituted due to discomfort in his right ankle. Initial reports suggested that there was no injury and that his availability to face Rayo Vallecano was not ruled out.

However, despite being given three days of rest, along with the rest of the squad, it was not enough for him to return to training on Thursday.

Barcelona are taking a cautious approach to his recovery, given that Hansi Flick has three fully fit centre-backs at his disposal in Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, and Inigo Martinez for Monday’s fixture at Montjuic.

Araujo’s campaign has been severely disrupted by physical issues. His troubles began in the summer when a serious muscle injury suffered while on international duty with Uruguay sidelined him for half a year.

Having missed the first half of the season, the 25-year-old club captain made his comeback in the Copa del Rey tie against Barbastro. Since then, he has played eight matches in 2025, accumulating 553 minutes on the pitch.

However, this has not yet been sufficient for Araujo to reach peak form. He is having some difficulties fully adapting to Flick’s tactical demands, particularly in maintaining the defensive line and executing the offside trap effectively.

For now, Barcelona will continue to monitor his condition, but early signs suggest he will not be available on Monday.