Hansi Flick provides an update on injured €70m Barcelona defender’s condition | OneFootball

FC Barcelona had to navigate the first phase of this 2024-25 season without several of their key players. Since the start of the season, Hansi Flick has been without some of his most important players but has still been able to get very good results.

But things have also been improving on the injury front lately, as the German tactician recovered several important midfielders some weeks ago, including two who had been on the sidelines for quite some time now, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong.

Now, the defense, which was another area that had suffered a lot due to injuries, also looks set to recover some key players, as Eric Garcia has already returned, and another key player, Ronald Araujo, is also getting closer to returning to the field.

Photo Credit: The Official Website of FC Barcelona

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, talking to the press ahead of the game against Las Palmas, Hansi Flick provided an update on the €70m-rated Uruguayan center-back’s situation. In this regard, the Barcelona trainer said:

“He’s training every day and making progress. On Sunday, he’ll take part in a practice match. It’s a small step. I wouldn’t set a specific date because I don’t want to pinpoint it, but he’s very close to rejoining the team.”

Earlier forecasts have set Araujo’s return to be likely in the first week of December, either for the match against Mallorca or against Real Betis. This will be a significant boost for the German coach’s backline, as Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi have been playing non-stop this season.

In fact, there were doubts about the former Athletic Club defender’s availability for the upcoming game against Las Palmas, but now reports indicate that he will be able to play that game without any problems.

Still, Araujo’s return will be key, as Flick will have another excellent defender to rely on and will be able to rotate his center-backs more often.