Key Takeaways:
- Ronald Araujo resumed training with Barcelona on Wednesday following a personal leave of absence
- The Uruguayan defender is targeting a return to the squad for the Catalan derby against Espanyol on 3rd January
- During his break, Araujo travelled to Israel and plans to spend Christmas in Uruguay before resuming full training
Background: Leave of Absence After Stint on the Sidelines
Barcelona’s centre-back Ronald Araujo has rejoined his team-mates in training this week after being away from the club on indefinite leave. The defender, aged 26, requested time off to focus on his mental wellbeing after receiving a red card against Chelsea earlier this month and facing significant criticism in the aftermath. As a result, he missed Barcelona’s match against Alaves last weekend.
🚨 BREAKING: Ronald Araujo is now fine and has found mental strength.
He will resume training after the Christmas break and will be ready for the match against Espanyol.
— @marca pic.twitter.com/2ODw2cdB0q
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) December 17, 2025
Araujo’s Planned Return and Barcelona’s Upcoming Fixtures
On his return to training on Wednesday, reports from Marca have indicated that Araujo has set his sights on being available for selection for the high-profile Catalan derby away to Espanyol on 3rd January. That fixture will be Barcelona’s first contest after their winter break. Before the break, the Blaugrana are set to conclude their 2025 calendar year by hosting Villarreal on Sunday. This timeline allows Araujo to complete four group sessions before the squad departs, after which he could continue training individually to rebuild match fitness.
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Araujo’s Projected Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Final Game of 2025 | Barcelona vs Villarreal | Home | Not in squad |
| 29 December | Training resumes | – | Possible individual sessions |
| 3 January | Espanyol vs Barcelona | Away | Target return |
Personal Time, Religious Pilgrimage, and Family Commitments
During his period away from football, Araujo made a pilgrimage to Israel, visiting the cities of Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem. Now back in Barcelona, he and the club have customised a specific training regime to optimise his physical return. Over the Christmas holidays, Araujo intends to visit Uruguay to be with his family, though he remains intent on rejoining the action with Barcelona at the earliest opportunity, stating that he now feels ready to play once more.
Challenging Fixtures on the Horizon
Although head coach Hansi Flick may opt to reintroduce Araujo gradually, the Catalan derby against Espanyol is anticipated to be a stern test given the heated rivalry and the strong form of Los Pericos. Looking further ahead, Barcelona will be travelling to Saudi Arabia to take on Athletic Club in the Spanish Supercup semi-final, with either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid awaiting in a potential final. The fixture list afterwards sees Barcelona playing an away tie in the Copa del Rey the following week.
