Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - Barcelona defender, Ronald Araujo, has reportedly been granted indefinite leave from football, a week after he received a red card in their 3-0 Champions League defeat against Chelsea.
According to Mail Online, the club permitted the 26-year-old
Uruguay international time away as he attempts to address mental health issues
that have affected his performances this season.
Araujo has made 15 appearances for Barca in all competitions
this campaign, with his last game ending in a red card before half-time for a
reckless challenge on Marc Cucurella at Stamford Bridge.
Barcelona initially attributed his absence from their
weekend LaLiga win over Alaves to a stomach bug.
However, head coach Hansi Flick has now revealed that Araujo
has been dealing with private issues, with reports claiming that since his
sending-off against Chelsea, and even some time before, he has felt he is 'not
at his best mentally and psychologically'.
'Ronald is not ready at the moment,' the German coach said
ahead of Barcelona's league game against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday
night.
'It's a private situation. I don't want to say more. Please
also respect it. This is what I can say and what I want to say.'
Flick’s comments follow remarks from Barca president Joan
Laporta, who said on Friday that he wanted to 'support and defend' Araujo.
'He has been heavily criticised, and I don’t think that’s
fair,' Laporta said at an event in Andorra.
'He gives his all on the pitch, he’s our captain, and now he
needs to get through this difficult period because he’s a very emotional person
with strong feelings.
'He’s had a tough time, and I want to tell him that we’re
behind him, that he needs to turn the page because here we all win and we all
lose, and no one person is responsible for defeats or victories.'
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