Araujo denies surgery prioritises Barcelona over Uruguay

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona center back Ronald Araujo has defended his decision to undergo thigh surgery on Wednesday at the likely expense of missing the World Cup. Araujo was injured on Uruguay duty against Iran last Friday. He returned to Barcelona and was diagnosed with a torn tendon in his right thigh. He wrote on Twitter on Monday that surgery was the best option. The World Cup is in less than two months and critics in Uruguay believe he is putting his club before his country. Araujo denies it. He says  “it’s not about choosing one or the other, it’s about health and being 100% as soon as possible.”