2 days Ago
As Barcelona get ready to face Barbastro in the first game of 2025 , one of the first questions for Culers is likely to be whether Ronald Araujo will finally make his 24/25 bow. The Copa del Rey tie certainly represents a match where the Uruguayan could potentially ease himself back into action, notwithstanding the combativeness of opponents who will almost certainly put up a decent fight. However, Hansi Flick needs to ask himself exactly when and where he sees Araujo fitting into the side, as there is no real reason for him to drop either Inigo Martinez or Pau Cubarsi at present.
Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images Sure, the pair have made the odd mistake, but no worse than the one made by Araujo which turned the Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain last season. The pairing deserve to keep their places for now, which also means no return in central defence for Andreas Christensen when he’s fit to play too. Perhaps there’s an argument that he could give Jules Kounde a breather on the right side of defence , though Araujo’s preferred role, as Kounde’s, is in the centre-back position.
Where the Uruguayan may find his luck is in is because of Barca’s recent form. Had the squad continued with their form of the first 10 games of the season, Araujo wouldn’t need to be told that there’s simply no way he would be getting a starting spot despite his return. Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images The Blaugranes have dropped off significantly in the past few weeks, and while results can’t necessarily be directly attributed to either Martinez or Cubarsi, Hansi Flick could consider it to be the right time to see how Araujo slots into his system.
“We are very happy that Ronald is back. He’s a player you enjoy seeing in training sessions, he gives his all, and passes that energy on to his teammates. It’s important that we don’t run any risk with him,” the coach told the club’s website recently.
The last comment would suggest that, as with Gavi, Araujo will be brought back into the fold slowly, and whether his inclusion will upset the equilibrium will only be seen a few weeks into the new year..
