Araujo opens up about being sent off against PSG: "At first, it did haunt me..."

Ronald Araujo has ripped off the band-aid and has spoken about PSG's wound. In a disappointing season, Barcelona clung to the European route to be able to dream. After eliminating Napoli with a great round of 16 phase, Luis Enrique's team crossed their path. In the first leg, at the Parc des Princes, Xavi Hernández's men managed a positive 2-3. The return leg, at Montjuic, was a catastrophe in which the tension exploded (1-4).

One of the most affected by the disqualification was the Uruguayan. In a counterattack at full speed, Rivera's player tried to stop Bradley Barcola's run and ended up bringing him down. In the 29th minute and with a 1-0, FC Barcelona was left with one less player, as their right-footed centre-back ended up being sent off. It was the beginning of the end. Despite the aggregate score being 4-2 in favour of the Blaugrana team, the numerical inferiority ended the Catalans' European aspirations. Ten months later, the protagonist of the action explained how he experienced it to the newspaper SPORT.

"A clean slate"

The advanced defence has been one of Hansi Flick's hallmarks since his arrival at Can Barça. Araujo, who had been out for six months with a hamstring injury in his right thigh, still has to get used to it: "I have to be physically fit for that. Without a doubt, I can get into duels, into space. In these six years that I have been at Barça, one of my great virtues has been that, being able to correct, playing with the line high. Of course you see yourself as important in these games. Beyond the fact that I am 25, I already have some experience. It is reflected in the big games, I have never hidden. The PSG catastrophe happened, but I like those games. We will see how I feel the feeling," said the defender.

When mentioning the incident with Bradley Barcola, the question on the subject was obligatory. The Uruguayan did not avoid it, and showed that he had healed the wound: "At first it did pursue me, especially for the rest of the season. But then, with time, I forgot about it, it's part of the past. A clean slate. There is a new story to be written. The greats are mentally strong and know how to overcome these situations. I consider myself one of those. I won't deny that after that in the League I wasn't at the level I usually have, but I have to keep going. There's a lot of my career left to build, to give to this club," he explained.

Thus, full of motivation and without giving importance to the ghosts of the past, Ronald is looking forward to playing metal with FC Barcelona. Recently renewed until 2031, he is living an idyllic situation: "In 2017 I was living in my town. They tell me that eight years later I would be wearing the captain's armband of Barça and I don't believe it, of course." The Uruguayan is ready for action.