Hamstring injury sidelines Barcelona defender Araujo

Madrid, Aug 19: FC Barcelona’s Uruguay international defender Ronald Araujo will be out of action for around a month after suffering a hamstring injury. The club’s website confirmed the news on Thursday, informing that Araujo “has injured the femoral biceps in the hamstring of his left leg and will be unavailable for selection until the injury clears up.” Although the club did not give a return date, this type of injury and Araujo’s history of muscle problems mean he will be out of action for at least a month, reports Xinhua. That also means he will miss Sunday’s game at home to Cadiz, along with a difficult visit to Villarreal on August 27 and a home game against Osasuna the following week. The club hopes he will be available for a home game against Real Betis on September 17, and the start of the group stage in the Champions League the following week. The injury leaves Sergi Roberto, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia and Alejandro Balde as the only defenders currently registered in Barcelona’s first-team squad, as Marcos Alonso and Inigo Martinez have not yet been inscribed due to Financial Fair Play motives. Martinez has struggled with a foot injury all summer, although on Thursday he attended part of the first-team training.