Barcelona captain set for significant game time in Copa del Rey clash vs Racing Santander

Following the win over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final, Barcelona will shift their focus to the Copa del Rey.

The Catalans are slated to take on Racing Santander tomorrow, in the Round of 16 of the Spanish Cup.

This is a game where coach Hansi Flick might resort to making quite a few rotations, as the German keeps one eye on the important league encounter against Real Sociedad on Sunday.

While this is still a knockout fixture, many lesser-used Barcelona players could get some valuable playing time and one of them could be Ronald Araujo.

Araujo to feature prominently vs Racing Santander

According to AS, Araujo is expected to receive significant game time as Barcelona take on Racing Santander tomorrow.

While the report does not clearly mention whether the Uruguayan will start, it does appear to be a realistic option if Barcelona decide to rest Pau Cubarsi or Eric Garcia.

Will Ronald Araujo start vs Racing Santander? (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

In fact, the defensive combination of Araujo and Gerard Martin cannot be entirely ruled out.

A potential start for Araujo could mean a lot for the Uruguayan international, who marked his arrival after featuring in the late moments of the Super Cup final. He was a pivotal figure for the match even before the kickoff.

Araujo received great support from his teammates after the game, after the defender had gone for a small hiatus due to battles with mental health.

He decided to take a break after being vilified for a costly error against Chelsea in a Champions League match.

Araujo took to Instagram to express how the break helped him rejuvenate his mind, with the statement, “I learned that knowing when to stop is self-love. Taking care of your mind and heart isn’t giving up, it’s trusting that God works even in silence.”