‘I almost fainted’… Barcelona star explains recent mid-game substitution | OneFootball

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For many players of FC Barcelona, the priority at the moment lies in international football. While the club continues to work on transfer policies and plans for the future, the players have other priorities. Many Barcelona stars are currently either participating in the Euros or the Copa America.

However, one thing that international football has always been dreaded for by clubs and fans alike has been the occurrence of injuries. Many players end up leaving for the international break and then do not return for weeks or even months after due to some unfortunate injury, something Barcelona has experienced.

Gavi, for instance, is a clear example of this. While on international duty with Spain, the young midfielder ended up suffering a major ACL injury that has him in recovery even now, and the player’s return is not expected before November of this year.

With that unfortunate incident still being fresh in the minds of Barcelona fans and higher-ups, the recent news regarding Ronald Araujo unsurprisingly made the club hold their breath. During a recent Copa America game against Panama, the Uruguayan defender ended up being substituted at half-time.

However, Barcelona are fortunate that it was nothing severe. As highlighted by SPORT, the South American defender confirmed after the game that it was not due to an injury but rather due to dehydration and not taking good care of himself:

He further explained that his substation was not due to an injury to his ankle, which some suspected may have happened due to an incident in the game itself, but rather because of the temperature:

“It was very hot, and I didn’t take proper care with hydration; I almost fainted.”

For now, Barcelona will be happy to know that their star defender is alright. However, after the Copa America, his future will still have to be discussed with the club. As it stands, there is essentially no guarantee about what lies ahead in terms of the relationship between Barcelona and Ronald Araujo.