La Liga: FC Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo suffers injury blow

Tests on Monday morning have confirmed that FC Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has pulled the soleus muscle in his left leg, and will be unavailable until the problem clears up, the La Liga club announced.

The Uruguayan centre back played the first 45 minutes of Sunday's game at Espanyol in the RCDE Stadium, but was unable to return to the field after the break.

Araujo was replaced by Eric Garcia, who hence made his first appearance for five weeks after overcoming his own fitness concerns.

On Sunday, a late equaliser from Luuk de Jong salvaged a point for FC Barcelona at the RCDE Stadium, home of Espanyol, which meant they continued their incredible run of league games without defeat to their local rivals to 24.

Not since 2009 have Espanyol beaten Barca in La Liga but just when their fans were celebrating the end of that negative run, up stepped the Dutchman to save Barca's day in dramatic fashion.

( With inputs from ANI )