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Football
Ronald Araujo is determined to stay at Barcelona despite losing his starting spot in key matches this season.
Ronald Araujo has made up his mind: he will not leave Barcelona. The Uruguayan defender, 27, has seen his importance within the squad diminish this season, sitting out two crucial games—the Clasico that handed Barça the La Liga title and the midweek match against Deportivo Alaves, even as coach Hansi Flick rotated heavily.
His contract runs until the summer of 2031, but the Catalan club plans to reinforce the defense next season. That would intensify competition for his position alongside Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gerard Martin, and Andreas Christensen.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Araujo is not considering an exit. He is convinced he will wear the Barça shirt next season and remain a captain within a group where he feels very comfortable.
Araujo understands why his role has shrunk. His recovery from a psychological issue—triggered after the Chelsea match last November and which sidelined him for over a month—gave Flick a chance to solidify other center-backs like Cubarsi and Eric first, then Gerard Martin later.
He has noticed the German coach's trust, however. Araujo started against Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol, and in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Newcastle. He also logged significant minutes in the return leg after Eric got injured.
His immediate goal is to earn more playing time in Barcelona's two remaining La Liga fixtures against Real Betis and Valencia. After that, he will join the Uruguay national team camp ahead of the World Cup. Following the tournament and a few weeks of rest, he plans to return to Barcelona determined to convince Flick he deserves a starting spot next season.
This season, Araujo has played 36 matches totaling 1,543 minutes, scoring 4 goals.
