{"id":59925,"date":"2025-11-02T18:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T17:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weisetech.dev\/fc-barcelona-noticias\/en\/ronald-araujo-captain-returns-to-starting-xi-in-barca-elche-match_315169_102\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T11:33:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T10:33:53","slug":"ronald-araujo-captain-returns-to-starting-xi-in-barca-elche-match_315169_102","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fcbarcelonanoticias.com\/en\/laliga\/ronald-araujo-captain-returns-to-starting-xi-in-barca-elche-match_315169_102.html","title":{"rendered":"Ronald Araujo: the captain returns to the starting XI after three consecutive games on the bench"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ronald Araujo is the big news in Bar\u00e7a’s starting XI against Elche. The captain was a substitute in the last 3 matches and returns to the center of defense in place of Pau Cubars\u00ed<\/h2> \r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n Calendar of FC Barcelona <\/a>\r\n<\/div>

FC Barcelona faces Elche this Sunday in Montju\u00efc with Ronald Araujo<\/strong> back as captain and leader of the defense. The Uruguayan was a substitute against Girona<\/strong> and Real Madrid<\/strong>, in addition to the Champions League match against Olympiacos<\/strong> due to a technical decision. Finally, Hansi Flick<\/strong> has opted for the ‘4’ from the start instead of a Pau Cubars\u00ed<\/strong> who is not having his best moment.<\/p>

The 18-year-old defender has been weighed down by the absence of I\u00f1igo Mart\u00ednez<\/strong> and has not quite settled in as a left center-back. Eric Garc\u00eda<\/strong>, on the other hand, has earned the trust of the German coach and already has 11 appearances as a starter in the 14 matches played by Bar\u00e7a.<\/p>

For Araujo, however, Sunday is only his 7th appearance in the Bar\u00e7a XI<\/strong>. The player from Rivera had not appeared in the lineup since matchday 8 of La Liga, against Sevilla, a match in which he only played the first half after committing a controversial penalty<\/a> and leaving for halftime with a warning.<\/p>

Ronald Araujo and a Key Opportunity in the Bar\u00e7a-Elche Match<\/h2>

After the break, the ‘charr\u00faa’ was the hero of the victory against Girona (2-1)<\/a>, scoring the winning goal in stoppage time of a match where he entered in the 82nd minute to play as a ‘9’. His stellar appearance in the derby, however, was not enough to get him out of the bench against Olympiacos (he played 15′) and Real Madrid (he entered again in the 75′).<\/p>

In the Cl\u00e1sico, he was close to being a protagonist again in the opponent’s area, but C\u00e9sar Soto Grado<\/a> and the VAR overlooked a possible penalty by Dani Carvajal on Ronald after a push inside the area. Against Elche, Araujo hopes to lead a defense that has already conceded in 7 consecutive matches (12 goals conceded).<\/p>

\"Ronald
Ronald Araujo protests to referee Alejandro Hern\u00e1ndez in the Levante-Bar\u00e7a (2-3) match<\/div> <\/div> <\/div>

In that sense, Hansi Flick still considers the South American center-back a key piece in his rotation plan, but clearly the ‘4’ has been surpassed at the start of the season by an Eric Garc\u00eda who had already earned his place in the final stretch of 24\/25<\/strong>, replacing Jules Kound\u00e9.<\/p>

Araujo, however, has not yet recovered his best physical form after the injury to his right thigh that prevented him from being available during the first half of the previous season. The 26-year-old center-back, so far, has accumulated 527 minutes of action in the 25\/26 season, spread across 10 appearances<\/strong>. He only didn’t play in 3 matches (Rayo, Valencia, and PSG).<\/p>

Araujo goes for his third goal in LaLiga against Elche<\/h2>

Beyond not being a regular player in the Blaugrana XI this season, the Uruguayan international already has 2 goals in LaLiga. Prior to the winning goal against Girona, Ronald also scored against Oviedo (1-3)<\/a>, the goal that sealed what, for the moment, is the last away win for the ‘cul\u00e9s’.<\/p>

Then came the defeats against Sevilla and Real Madrid, results that have distanced Flick’s team from the lead. Bar\u00e7a is obliged to defeat Elche to get back to within 5 points of the ‘Casa Blanca’, who already won their J11 match with a rout against Valencia (4-0)<\/a>.<\/p>