Barcelona Adjusts Strategy Amid Araujo’s Temporary Absence

After being sent off during Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League last Tuesday, Ronald Araujo was unavailable for his team’s recent victory over Alaves, which propelled them to the top of La Liga.

Dani Olmo’s double and a goal from Lamine Yamal contributed to Hansi Flick’s side achieving this status, overtaking Real Madrid, who currently sits in second place after a 1-1 draw with Girona on Sunday. With Araujo absent, left-back Gerard Martin stepped into the center of defense alongside young Pau Cubarsi.

According to The Athletic, Araujo has been granted a break following a request from his agents. The report indicates that Barcelona chief Deco approved the 28-year-old’s wish for a temporary withdrawal from football to prioritize his recovery.

Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo reported earlier that Araujo sought this break because he felt unable to contribute effectively to the team at this time. The center-back expressed concerns that attempting to play could lead to further detriment to the team’s performance.

While specifics regarding Araujo’s situation remain private, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick commented ahead of Tuesday’s match against Atletico Madrid: “It is a private situation, and I prefer not to elaborate. I would appreciate if you could respect that.”

Flick’s remarks followed a statement from Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who noted that Araujo has faced unfair criticism in recent weeks and emphasized that the club stands behind him. At an event in Andorra, Laporta stated: “He has been heavily criticized, and I don’t think that’s fair. He gives his all on the pitch as our captain, and he needs support during this challenging time. He is an emotional person with strong feelings.

“It is important for him to move past this. Here, we all win and lose together; no single individual is solely responsible for our outcomes.”

Barcelona is preparing for a highly-anticipated match against Atletico Madrid, marking only their third game at the renovated Camp Nou, following contests against Athletic Club and Alaves. The reigning champions are eager to secure a victory to maintain their lead over fierce rivals Real Madrid, who will be facing Athletic on Wednesday. Diego Simeone’s Atletico, currently fourth in the table, could level points with Barcelona if they triumph at Camp Nou. Atletico has lost only one of their 14 league matches in the 2025-26 season, with nine wins and four draws.

Previewing the clash, Barcelona boss Flick remarked: “We know we are up against a fantastic team with immense quality—one of the best in Europe led by an exceptional coach. As such, we anticipate a challenging encounter.

“We are pleased to be back at the top, but the goal is to maintain that position until the season’s end. We must continue to work hard and perform at our best. While we currently lead the table, we are not at our peak performance. We need to advance towards regaining our best football.

“I believe we are making too many mistakes, even though we possess the quality to control matches. This has been lacking in recent outings, but I am confident we can improve and are actively working towards that.