The night time of November 25, 2025, at Stamford Bridge was one Ronald Araujo will maybe not overlook.
Barcelona have been overwhelmed 3-0 by Chelsea within the Champions League, and the Uruguayan defender’s crimson card simply earlier than half-time proved to be the second the sport slipped away.
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Days after the match, Barcelona granted him an indefinite depart of absence. He travelled to Israel on a religious retreat, then returned residence to Uruguay to spend Christmas with household, earlier than rejoining the squad on the flip of the 12 months.
In a current interview with Movistar+ (h/t ), he spoke candidly about what he went by means of throughout that interval, about how he handled stress and melancholy.
Araujo breaks his silence
The defender described the warning indicators he had been carrying earlier than the Chelsea night time ever arrived.
“I knew there was one thing not proper, since you really feel like issues aren’t going effectively, you’re feeling a bit sadder, and when it comes to efficiency, you don’t really feel able to delivering what you recognize you may ship as a participant.”
“At that time, issues aren’t working. Plus, you come residence with all this stress, and at residence, you’re not the identical as you was once,” he mentioned.
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For Araujo, the consequences of that interval prolonged far past the pitch and into the components of his life that matter most to him.
“As an individual, by nature, I’m very family-oriented. I really like displaying affection to my spouse and daughters, however I felt like I had misplaced that somewhat. There was one thing like a barrier… a barrier between them and me,” he added.
Araujo added that it was tough to behave on his issues, regardless of figuring out them.
“And I knew there was one thing improper, however you retain going out of behavior. And possibly additionally due to the tradition, since we’re from a rural atmosphere, for instance, and it’s laborious to precise feelings there.”
Ronald Araujo says Chelsea sport wasn’t the one purpose. (Photograph by George Wooden/Getty Pictures)
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“So you discover it tough to interrupt that barrier and admit: ‘There’s one thing taking place to me, I have to work on it or search assist.’ It was very laborious for me to confess that I wanted to work on myself, and that I wanted assist from a specialist,” the Barça captain mentioned.
The crimson card towards Chelsea and the wave of criticism that adopted proved to be the second he might not push by means of.
“And I stored going, and stored going, and stored going… However in some unspecified time in the future, I mentioned: Sufficient, that is the time.”
“And that was exactly tied to the incident with Chelsea, however it wasn’t the one purpose; relatively, a number of issues had constructed up till I reached this level, and that’s once I mentioned: Sufficient, I would like to begin talking once more, I have to do one thing.”
“Sure, as a result of what occurred was apparent… I don’t know, after I acquired that crimson card, the scenario was insane. That’s once I mentioned: One thing is going on to me.”
He described his expertise after the Chelsea defeat and the next dialog together with his spouse.
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“I went straight into the locker room and mentioned: No, right here I have to ask for assist, I have to… And I spoke first with my spouse and advised her: Look, it’s clear that one thing is going on to me, I have to ask for assist.”
Barcelona backed him with out hesitation, granting him as a lot time as he wanted. Araujo returned to coaching on the finish of December and has since spoken about feeling like a unique individual.
The Uruguayan worldwide has been linked with a transfer away from Camp Nou, however he by these rumours.