Barça ended 2024 with a painful defeat at the last minute against Atlético de Madrid. In a match in which they were absolutely superior to their rival, football was capricious and not guided by logic. From the bench, Ronald Araujo saw how his teammates fell in an agonizing finale. The Uruguayan, who was already prepared to play against Leganés, again did not play any minutes in the last match of the year, so his return to the green will be postponed until 2025.
On the eve of the arrival of the Three Wise Men, on January 4, FC Barcelona will visit Barbastro, a municipality in the province of Huesca, to face the team from the city. Their rival, who compete in the Second Federation, the fourth division of Spanish football, is an old acquaintance. They made their debut against the same team last season in the Copa del Rey and will do so again this year. The Blaugrana team suffered a lot to qualify for the next round (2-3) and, in the first match of 2025, they will have to leave everything on the field to win.
Ronald Araujo, ready for action
The Rivera defender is now fully prepared to dress in shorts and make his redebut with the FC Barcelona shirt, this time under the command of Hansi Flick. The injury to the hamstring tendon in his right thigh is now behind him. He traveled with his teammates to Dortmund, where he did not have any minutes and was not expected to have any, despite having been medically cleared. His return was planned for the match against Leganés but, in a context of an attempt to come back, the moment was not ideal for it. The following weekend, against Atlético, Barça was looking to tip the score in its favor, so Araujo was not the one chosen to take the field either.
With no further commitments for the rest of the year, it is obvious that the Uruguayan will return in 2025. Focusing on the shot, he could play against UD Barbastro, in the Copa del Rey match on January 4. Having accumulated quality training and already being ready to play, it would even be reasonable for the Uruguayan to be in the starting line-up. Giving him playing time in that match would be a good option for Cubarsí and Iñigo to rest, since the Spanish Super Cup begins on January 8 with a tough clash against Athletic Club and the staff will want to have the maximum number of players in top form.