‘It did haunt me’ – Ronald Araujo recalls how his mistake in Barcelona vs PSG last season affected him | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are clearly one of the best teams in the UEFA Champions League this season. The Blaugrana team has put on very entertaining displays in the competition this year, and their good performances were rewarded by their direct qualification to the Round of 16, as they finished second in the League Phase.

However, the toughest tests in the competition are yet to come, and as the Catalans experienced during the last season, even a small mistake can end up costing them their European campaign.

During the 2023-24 season under Xavi, Barcelona showed significant improvement in the UCL and went on to the quarter-finals of the competition. At this stage, they were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain, despite having finished the first leg with a one-goal advantage.

One of the most influential moments of that tie was the red card to Ronald Araujo, which forced the Blaugranes to play the majority of the second half with a numerical disadvantage.

The main protagonist of this incident, Araujo, appeared in an interview with SPORT and recalled that episode. The defender was talking about his experience and ability to shine in the big games when this past game came up:

“I have to be in good physical shape for that. Without a doubt, I can get into duels and attack the space. In these six years at Barça, one of my greatest strengths has been precisely that—being able to recover, play with a high line.”

“Of course, you see yourself as important in these matches. Even though I’m 25, I already have some experience. It shows in big games; I’ve never hidden. The PSG disaster happened, but I enjoy these kinds of matches. Let’s see how I start feeling the rhythm.”

The Uruguayan centre-back went on to highlight how this game affected him and how he ultimately got over it:

“At first, it did haunt me, especially for the rest of that season. But over time, I started to forget it—it’s part of the past. A clean slate. There’s a new story to write. The greats are mentally strong and know how to overcome these situations. I consider myself one of them.”

“I won’t deny that after that, I wasn’t at my usual level in La Liga, but you have to keep going. There’s still a long career ahead, a lot to build, a lot to give to this club.”

As things stand, Araujo’s future at Barcelona is not very certain despite his recent contract renewal. Hopefully, he will remain at the Catalan club for years to come and will have learned his lesson from the last season to help his team end the season on a successful note.