Araujo injured days before World Cup, brother blasts Bielsa

Araujo injured, brother blasts Bielsa's staff

Ronald Araujo has picked up a muscular injury during Uruguay's World Cup preparations and is now a major doubt for the opener against Saudi Arabia. The Barcelona defender has flown to Spain for treatment with his club's medical staff (1).

His brother Mikael didn't hold back, posting a public message aimed at Marcelo Bielsa's coaching staff: "Thanks for injuring players just days before the World Cup!" (2).

Barcelona are fuming too. Reports from Spain indicate the club warned Uruguay's camp about Araujo's workload but say those warnings were ignored (1).

Uruguay's medical team remains cautiously optimistic that the injury won't rule him out of the entire tournament, but his availability for the early group matches is hanging in the balance (1).

Losing your best defender days before a World Cup is about as bad as it gets. Bielsa's entire defensive setup was built around Araujo. Now the plan is in pieces.