Barcelona‘s araujo to Miss Atletico Clash, coach Cites “Private Situation”
BARCELONA, Spain – Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo will be unavailable for Tuesday’s La Liga match against Atletico Madrid, confirmed manager Hansi Flick on Monday. While the club initially cited a stomach virus for Araujo’s absence in Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Alaves, Flick indicated the current situation is a separate, personal matter.
“Araujo is not ready,” Flick stated during a press conference.”It’s a private situation.”
Spanish media reports suggest Araujo’s representatives informed Barcelona officials on Monday that the player requires time away to address his mental health. Flick declined to elaborate further, requesting media respect for Araujo’s privacy.
The absence of the central defender comes after a challenging week for Araujo, which included a red card received shortly before halftime during Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League loss to Chelsea.
Currently leading La Liga with 34 points after 14 rounds, Barcelona holds a one-point advantage over Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid trails in fourth place, three points behind the Catalan club.
Looking ahead to the match, Flick acknowledged the challenge posed by Atletico. “We know we are up against a fantastic team with a lot of quality,” he said. “It will be a tough encounter.”
