Barcelona do not want key defender to undergo surgery during important part of season

Barcelona are facing a potential injury crisis with no less than four of their star players picking up injuries in this early phase of the international break.

Ronald Araujo’s injury during an international friendly against Iran is by far the serious one. The defender has picked up a thigh injury, which could see him on the sidelines for a long period.

Uncertainty is looming over how Barcelona and Araujo himself are going to approach the player’s recovery process. Two options have been handed out so far, with surgery appearing to be the safer option, especially in light of the broken adductor.

However, any surgery could see Araujo running the risk of missing the upcoming FIFA World Cup, as well as the better part of the season. With that in mind, Achraf Ben Ayad reports that Barcelona want Araujo’s recovery to be swift, and as such, they want to avoid the surgery.

The journalist adds that the club plan to have a medical session with the player, in order to figure out the best possible route going forward.

Avoiding surgery and opting for a conservative procedure could be much faster. However, there are certain risks associated with it, as there are no guarantees the player could return to full fitness after the procedure is over.

It was evident in the case of Ansu Fati, where the player aggravated his injury shortly after returning to the pitch. Barcelona and Araujo himself will be keen on avoiding such a scenario as it not only affects the defender’s short-term health but may also bear long-term consequences.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how these two parties approach this issue. A lot could be unveiled within the next 24 hours as the medical teams better evaluate Araujo’s injury.