(From L) Barcelona’s Spanish defender Jofre Torrents, Barcelona’s Uruguayan defender Ronald Federico Araujo da Silva, Barcelona’s Spanish forward Lamine Yamal and Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder Pedri attend an open door training session at Johan Cruyff Stadium in Sant Joan Despi on December 29, 2025
Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo returned to training on Monday after several weeks away, boosting the Liga leaders’ defensive options ahead of this weekend’s highly anticipated Catalan derby.
The Uruguay international trained alongside his teammates and head coach Hansi Flick during an open session at the club’s Johan Cruyff Stadium, AFP journalists confirmed. His return comes after an absence that the club had attributed to a “private situation,” with local media reporting the break was related to mental health.
Araujo had been under intense scrutiny following Barcelona’s heavy 3–0 UEFA Champions League defeat to Chelsea earlier this month, a match in which the defender was sent off, a turning point that led to the team’s collapse. Flick declined to elaborate on the circumstances of Araujo’s absence at the time, stressing the importance of respecting the player’s privacy.
Barcelona will now welcome the defender’s return as they prepare to face city rivals Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. The derby promises to be one of the most compelling in recent years, with Espanyol enjoying one of their strongest campaigns in decades.
Currently sitting fifth in La Liga, Espanyol have defied expectations after narrowly avoiding relegation in the 2024/25 season. Their resurgence has added extra intrigue to the fixture, traditionally dominated by Barcelona.
While it remains unclear whether Araujo will feature in the matchday squad, his presence in training offers a timely lift for Flick as Barcelona look to maintain their position at the top of the table and navigate a demanding run of domestic and European fixtures.
