Following rumors of discord after Gundogan publicly criticized Araujo for a red card in their Champions League defeat to PSG, the two Barcelona players have now surprisingly reconciled after a tough loss to Real Madrid.
After a devastating defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico, FC Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo revealed what his teammate Ilkay Gundogan had shared with him to improve coordination within the team lineup. Previously, though he did not name the Uruguayan player directly, it was understood that Gundogan had criticized Araujo for a costly red card in the quarter-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
At his book launch after Barca’s elimination from the Champions League, Araujo mentioned he would not comment on the matter due to “rules and values” he needed to adhere to. However, following a 2-3 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico, Araujo unexpectedly disclosed that he and Gundogan had discussed the issue to mend the team dynamics.
Araujo stated, “He apologized, and for me, that’s enough. There’s nothing more to argue about. I am very strong mentally. I came to this club believing in my strength, and I’ve worked hard. I believe no one can criticize my football abilities. It was just an incident that belongs to yesterday, a painful defeat. Everyone knows it, and I know I must continue moving forward.”
He emphasized, “We need to keep moving forward because we have another goal, which is to secure the second place to qualify for the Spanish Super Cup and prepare for the next season.”
“This season, many details have affected us, but we will try to overcome and continue moving forward,” the defender declared, as Barcelona faces the possibility of ending another season without any titles like in the 2021/2022 season.
Regarding controversies stemming from refereeing decisions that disadvantaged Barca, the Uruguayan player concluded, “We cannot blame the referees. There were details that led us astray, and that’s why we failed.”