Updates on the wellbeing of two key members of the defensive ranks at Barcelona have come to the fore late this evening.
The players in question? Andreas Christensen, and Ronald Araújo.
Central defensive pair Christensen and Araújo both set alarm bells ringing across the Barcelona fanbase on Wednesday.
This came en route to the club’s eventual Copa del Rey quarter-final exit at the hands of Athletic Club.
First, midway through the 2nd-half, former Chelsea man Christensen was hauled off, before being spotted icing his Achilles whilst on the bench.
Then, after limping his way through the closing exchanges in San Sebastian, defensive partner Araújo admitted that he was dealing with pain in his knee.
Both stoppers, in turn, were swiftly labelled as doubts to feature in Barcelona’s upcoming La Liga meeting with Villarreal.
If the latest word stemming from the media is anything to go by, however, then the Blaugrana faithful need not fret.
This comes amid confirmation, by way of Diario Sport, that the duo are expected to be fit and available for selection from the off in Catalunya on Saturday evening.
Christensen, for his part, had agreed to a premeditated substitution ahead of kick-off against Athletic, with both he and boss Xavi having been keen not to take any risks after a recent spell out of action.
And in the case of Araújo, it has been noted that his discomfort has not worsened in the aftermath of the San Mamés battle, with the Uruguayan, too, therefore in line to take his place at the heart of Barca’s backline against Villarreal.
Conor Laird | GSFN
