Ronald Araújo’s Champions League injury scare: will the Barcelona defender play against Alavés?

Tuesday was a day to forget for Barcelona, who could have sealed qualification for the 2023-24 Champions League round of 16 but slumped to defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk in Hamburg, which means they still have plenty in work to do to get out of Group H. Not only did the LaLiga champions put in a second poor performance in a matter of days, key man Ronald Araújo was clearly in pain towards the end of the game, although he did complete the 90 minutes.

Tests confirm no injury for Araújo

The first noises coming out of the club following the defeat in Germany suggested the Uruguayan defender hadn’t suffered a serious injury and tests carried out on Wednesday morning have confirmed the issue was caused by muscle fatigue rather an adductor muscle injury. Relief for Barça head coach Xavi Hernández, who has already had to do without the centre-back for five games this season because of muscle problems.

Defender should be available for LaLiga return against Alavés

After a short period of rest (24 to 48 hours), Araújo is expected to be able to take part in full training with the rest of the group later in the week, which means he should be available for selection to face Alavés in LaLiga on Sunday.

Like the rest of his teammates, the 24-year-old wasn’t at his best against Shakhtar but has proven himself to be a crucial part of Xavi’s plans. Araújo scored a late winner as Barcelona sneaked a victory against Real Sociedad in San Sebastián, where they were under pressure for long spells and were fortunate to escape with all three points.