Spanish
SANT JOAN DESPÍ (Barcelona).– The return of Uruguayan international Ronald Araujo was the main novelty of the open-door training session held by FC Barcelona at the Johan Cruyff Stadium this Monday, a special session organized to begin preparations for next Saturday's Catalan derby against Espanyol.
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Araujo returned to exercise with the group more than a month after his last match, after overcoming mental health problems whose trigger was the expulsion suffered against Chelsea on November 25. The central defender trained at the same pace as his teammates in front of 5,530 fans, who attended despite the low temperature recorded during the afternoon. Despite his reincorporation, the defender's presence in the derby is not assured. After missing seven matches between LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Champions League, Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín are the main options for the center of the defense, with Jules Koundé and Eric García as alternatives.Pedri and Koundé train normally
Midfielder Pedri also trained with the group, absent in the last match against Villarreal (0-2) due to hamstring discomfort, as explained by coach Hansi Flick. The Canary Islander is expected to return to the starting eleven against the blanquiazul team. For his part, Jules Koundé, who was substituted as a precaution in the second half of the match against Villarreal, completed the session without any problems and will be available for the derby. The main doubt continues to be Dani Olmo, who suffered a dislocation in his left shoulder after a bad fall in the match ahead of matchday 19 against Atlético de Madrid (3-1). The attacking midfielder did not participate in one of the possession exercises and his presence remains in question.Great atmosphere in the stands
The training included activation exercises, physical work with elastic bands, rondos, precision tasks with the ball, and a final match. The reserve team players Jofre Torrents, Tommy Marqués and Pedro Fernández ‘Dro’ also participated. The most acclaimed footballers were Lamine Yamal, recent protagonist at the Globe Soccer 2025 gala held in Dubai, where he was awarded as best under-23, best forward of last season and winner of the Maradona award for the young player with the greatest skill, as well as Pedri and Raphinha. The session was marked by the numerous presence of boys and girls in the stands. The only absences were those of Gavi, recovering from a knee operation, and Andreas Christensen, out due to a partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.Back to work after the Christmas break
Coach Hansi Flick led the session with attention and a relaxed tone upon returning to work after a week off, after closing the year as winter leader of LaLiga. The team's goal is to maintain the four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the standings. Upon finishing the training, the players threw official balls to the stands and signed shirts and banners as a thank you for the fans' support during a 2025 historic year, in which Barcelona conquered the national treble.All proceeds from the event will be entirely allocated to the 'Blaugrana Bracelets' project, an initiative of the FC Barcelona Foundation aimed at improving the stay of hospitalized children and adolescents or those with serious illnesses.
