diff --git a/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_wenzel14jgr.yml b/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_wenzel14jgr.yml
index cc4601ab0e..cd66bfc64c 100644
--- a/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_wenzel14jgr.yml
+++ b/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_wenzel14jgr.yml
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ preprocessors:
         ]
     area_statistics:
       operator: sum
-      fx_variables:
-        areacello:
 
   tropical:
     extract_region: