"Two days after the Chelsea game, the Uruguayan arrived at the Ciutat Esportiva fully aware of the scale of what had happened. The group did not leave him on his own. The dressing room rallied around him from the tunnel in London and repeated that support when training restarted. "They know how important he is and the influence he has," a club member said."
"Younger players feel close to him because of his age and personality. He is the one who organises get-togethers and steps up when he notices someone needs support. Araujo, who is usually the one to hold others up, was the one who needed help this time. After the sending off, he was visibly frustrated, aware not only of the mistake but also of his responsibility as captain to set an example."
"His teammates delivered a clear message straight away: this is football, and he should be the last person to be blamed. Even Hansi Flick offered him his hand as he walked towards the dressing room. And the squad has closed ranks around him. The coaching staff stands by the decision of starting him against Chelsea as they felt he was the ideal centre-back for that type of match because of his power, his physique, and his aerial ability."
Ronald Araujo was sent off in the 44th minute of Barcelona's 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, leaving the team at a disadvantage and deeply affected by his error. The Barcelona locker room fully supports Araujo and stood by him after the match. Two days later he arrived at the Ciutat Esportiva aware of the scale of what had happened, and teammates rallied around him from the tunnel and in training. Younger players feel close to him due to his age and personality, and he is known for organising get-togethers and supporting teammates. The coaching staff defended the decision to start him because of his physical attributes and aerial ability.
Read at Barca Universal
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