We head into another international break following the clash with Sevilla, and while preparations for the upcoming World Cup take centre stage, it does mean a temporary pause to La Liga action.
This October window sees 11 Barcelona players called up to represent their national teams, as the European qualifiers heat up and group favourites begin to face serious tests from their closest challengers.
But not every Barça star has made the cut. One notable name has been left out of the squad, and no, it isn’t Lamine Yamal.
Ronald Araújo has been left out of Uruguay’s squad for the upcoming international break, with head coach Marcelo Bielsa opting to rest the defender after what has been described as a “difficult and potentially dangerous” trip for the national team.
The issue isn’t the opposition, nor the usual long journey to South America. Instead, Uruguay’s friendlies against the Dominican Republic (Friday, October 10) and Uzbekistan (Monday, October 13) will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a staggering 17-hour journey covering more than 10,500 kilometres, assuming no stopovers.
La Celeste’s fixtures in Southeast Asia come as part of a promotional partnership with Cohesion Prima, intended to celebrate the passion of local fans and showcase Uruguay’s European-based stars. However, the decision has drawn criticism for prioritising commercial interests over player welfare, a concern that Bielsa appears to have taken seriously by resting Araújo.
The former Argentina and Atletic Bilbao coach can be praised for putting the player welfare and the happiness of their clubs first before the smell of money.
The Barcelona centre-back joins fellow absentees Federico Valverde of Real Madrid and Darwin Núñez of Liverpool among the high-profile players who will miss the trip.
Frenkie de Jong, Marcus Rashford, Jules Kounde, Roony Bardghji, Robert Lewandowski, Pau Cubarsí, DaniOlmo, Pedri and Ferran Torres have all been called up for their respective countries, while Lamine Yamal and Marc Bernal have been withdrawn due to injuries.
A period of rest will do Araújo, Yamal, and Bernal a world of good, as the growing fixture congestion and heavy workload placed on them have become a concern, particularly given the injuries that have already sidelined them from Barcelona’s recent matches.