Centre-backs Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araujo have been named in the matchday squad for Barcelona’s final Champions League group stage fixture against Juventus.
La Blaugrana have suffered a bit of a defensive crisis of late, losing several central defenders to injury. Veteran Gerard Pique was the latest casualty, suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury which is expected to keep him out for most of the season.
Pique suffered an ACL injury against Atletico Madrid
For a while, manager Ronald Koeman was left with Clement Lenglet as his only senior available centre-back. Youngster Oscar Mingueza had to be fast tracked into the starting XI, while midfielder Frenkie de Jong also deputised in defence.
But now it looks like the backline worries are coming to an end, with both Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araujo returning to action against Juventus.
Araujo has been absent since the reverse fixture at the Allianz Stadium back in October, missing eight games with a hamstring problem.
Araujo has made an impression this season
Meanwhile, Umtiti is still yet to make an appearance under new boss Koeman, having been sidelined with a knee injury. The World Cup winner has had his career at the Camp Nou blighted by injuries, causing him to fall down the pecking order behind Pique and Lenglet.
It is unclear whether either will be fit enough to feature, but Koeman will welcome the return of the two defenders.
However, there is no room for French winger Ousmane Dembele, who misses out with an unspecified injury. The former Borussia Dortmund man opened the scoring in the first meeting between the two sides.