LALIGA EA SPORTS
Why is Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo wearing a mask in the LaLiga game against Girona?
The Uruguayan will be forced to wear a protective mask for Barcelona’s LaLiga tie against Girona.
Ronald Araujo, Barcelona’s captain, has been forced to wear a protective mask due to an injury he suffered against Atlético Madrid, with the player now looking as though he is late for the blaugrana Halloween party.
Follow the game live!
Barcelona take on Girona in LaLiga EA Sports (Sunday, December 10, with kick off at 3 p.m. ET / noon PT.) in what is, without a doubt, one of the biggest games of the season so far. Xavi’s side have been up and down all season; with questions about their style constantly in the news, even Xavi’s position has been under threat due to various poor performances and results.
Girona, on the other hand, are living a dream season: it is the first time in history that they come into the game against their Catalan rivals ahead of them in the table, a remarkable feat which highlights the good work done by Míchel and his staff.
Why is Ronald Araujo wearing a protective mask against Girona?
The Uruguayan centre-back is wearing a protective mask after suffering a fractured jaw in the game against Atlético Madrid in LaLiga, which Barcelona won 1-0 thanks to a goal from João Félix.
Despite taking a knock, the player managed to carry on and finish the tie, with post-game medical checks determining the official diagnosis of the issue. It should not be an injury that keeps him out of action: with the mask he can play as normal with no issues. It may or may not give him special powers, let’s see.
Which players are injured for Barcelona?
While you can see a full run-down of the team news and predicted starting XIs for the game, here’s a quick debrief: Gavi is the only long-term absence for the blaugrana as he is out until mid-2024 with an ACL tear. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is also out due to a back issue which has seen him undergo surgery.
Iñigo Martínez is another player who will not feature as is Marcos Alonso, who dropped out late with “lower back pain”. Xavi has been forced to include plenty of youth team players in the squad, but with Fermín López and Marc Guiu in the ranks, it’s not necessarily a bad thing for the Barça boss.