FC Barcelona And Uruguay Continue To Clash Over Ronald Araujo Playing At Qatar 2022

FC Barcelona and Uruguay have been reported as continuing to clash over the involvement of their shared player Ronald Araujo at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Araujo recently signed a contract extension with the Blaugrana that comes with a €1bn (€1.04bn) release clause. Starting the 2022/2023 season in fine form as Barca rose to the top of La Liga, he then became injured with an adductors avulsion on September 26 that was meant to rule him out for at least three months.

This development didn’t prevent Uruguay from calling the center back up to their 26-man World Cup squad, however, which has reportedly been a source of tension between the player’s national team and his club amid plans for Araujo to feature after Uruguay’s second group game.

According to MARCA, the two entities are “on the brink of the war” over the matter.

Reporting from Qatar, however, Mundo Deportivo in Catalonia quoted the Uruguayan Football Association, the UAF, as saying that it has not received any communication from FC Barcelona regarding Ronald Araujo, in terms of a complaint.

The UAF and Barca signed an agreement on Aruajo’s recovery process after he underwent surgery.

Furthermore, Uruguay coach Diego Alonso also held a face-to-face conversation with Barca counterpart Xavi Hernandez in the Catalan capital a fortnight ago to touch bases.

The UAF claims that two physios from FC Barcelona are also spending each day with Araujo to oversee his progress, but the figure that has the power to discharge the player and give him the green light to return to the field is Uruguay’s doctor.

In his pre-match press conference ahead of Uruguay’s debut at the World Cup against South Korea, Alonso remarked that Araujo’s body will say when he will be able to return above any medical expert.

Araujo is not expected to feature against South Korea or against Portugal. On Friday December 2, though, he could finally run out for his country against Ghana in the final group game.

This edition of the World Cup could be Araujo’s second appearance at a major tournament after he played in the 2021 Copa America held in Brazil.