Araujo a major doubt as Uruguay open World Cup against Saudi Arabia

Araujo out, Valverde leads you into the opener

Ronald Araujo will not be ready. The Barcelona centre-back is still in Spain receiving treatment for a muscular injury and is a major doubt for Uruguay's World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (3) (4). Medical staff have not ruled him out of the tournament entirely, but Bielsa must plan without his defensive anchor for now. Federico Valverde is expected to carry the armband and the midfield burden against the Saudis (2).

Saudi Arabia await in Miami

Group H starts at midnight Tuesday Central European time (3). That is Monday evening in Montevideo. Uruguay vs Saudi Arabia, Hard Rock Stadium, 65,000 seats, first match of the group for both sides. The odds favor your team, with CBS Sports' expert on an 18–8 World Cup picks run backing Uruguay (4). No final score prediction is in the sources.

Where to watch

Broadcast details vary by region. The match kicks off and your local listings will carry the coverage (1).

Fan reactions

The mood among Uruguay supporters is tense and a little bruised. One Reddit preview calls the team "Chaos, Mutiny, and 'El Loco's' Vertical Football" after that 5–1 friendly loss to the US last November. Meanwhile, Darwin Núñez has asked to keep his Liverpool future quiet so he can stay focused on the national team. Join the discussion on r/soccer