Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has revealed that Ronald Araujo is conscious in hospital after being taken off the field in an ambulance prior to the Catalans' 3-1 win over Celta Vigo on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old Uruguayan defender was involved in a sickening collision of heads with teammate Gavi.
The incident occurred in the 62nd minute when the pair leaped to challenge for the ball inside their own half. Gavi escaped unharmed and required no significant medical attention. However, a wave of concern swept across the whole stadium when Araujo, who had initially seemed OK, suddenly fell to the ground in an attempt to run back towards his goal.
The players of both sides immediately called for medical assistance, while Eric Garcia rushed to put the defender in a fetal position to make him breathe properly as he appeared to be unconscious. The play was halted for close to eight minutes while the centerback received treatment, before he was transported to the hospital in the ambulance.
Araujo has left for the hospital, really praying everything is alright and nothing is serious pic.twitter.com/pTeoKgCKOT
— Reshad Rahman ✆ (@ReshadRahman_) May 10, 2022
Barcelona proceeded to win the night's league encounter via a 3-1 scoreline, thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's double and Memphis Depay's strike. The visitors who finished the clash with 10 men following the sending off of Jeison Murrillo grabbed a consolation goal through skipper Iago Aspas.
Following the conclusion of the game, Xavi confirm that Araujo had been stablized and was conscious.
"Araujo is conscious, out of danger. [The] doctor tells us not to worry."
Prior to that, a statement from the club had previously read: "Ronald Araujo has suffered a concussion and has been taken to the hospital to undergo further testing."
