Ronald Araujo is approaching a return to full group training as FC Barcelona head to their pre-season camp in England, with the Uruguayan captain set to travel with the squad on Monday and expected to rejoin collective sessions at St George’s Park. The Uruguayan defender has been working separately since returning from his post-World Cup break, but his recovery is progressing well and he has already resumed individual work on the pitch. since returning from his post-World Cup break following an injury sustained while training with Uruguay during the tournament.
Mundo Deportivo has reported that Araujo has already resumed on-pitch individual work, which represents the final stage of his rehabilitation. The plan is for him to integrate into normal sessions under Hansi Flick during the England camp, with the club managing his workload to avoid any unnecessary risk after an injury that disrupted his summer before a ball was kicked in the tournament.
This is a separate episode from the major right hamstring tendon injury that required surgery in Finland in July 2024 and kept him out for 181 days, a layoff that ended with his return against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey in early January 2025. The current setback was described at the time as a muscle strain sustained in training with Uruguay, and the recovery arc has been considerably shorter.
The timing still matters, because Araujo enters his seventh season at the club in a defensive hierarchy that has shifted around him. Gerard Martín, Pau Cubarsí and Eric Garcia finished last season ahead of him in Flick’s plans, and Andreas Christensen’s renewal has added another layer of competition. For broader context on where Araujo fits within Barcelona’s wider pre-season picture, the squad situation is still taking shape as internationals return.
His qualities in direct duels and his ability to cover ground behind a high defensive line remain assets, but those qualities need to be demonstrated consistently in training before they translate into guaranteed minutes. The England camp, where other players are also working toward full fitness, gives him that opportunity without the pressure of competitive stakes. Flick will be watching.