Barcelona captain to get fresh opportunity to prove his worth after shaky season | OneFootball

Ronald Araujo’s time at Barcelona looked to be drawing to a close after a rocky 2024/25 season, but according to a report from AS, the Uruguayan defender is now set to stay and fight for his place under Hansi Flick.

The centre-back, once considered untouchable, endured a campaign full of inconsistency and individual errors, most notably in the Champions League semi-final, raising serious doubts about his future.

But with the transfer market shifting and key decisions being made behind the scenes, Araujo has opted to remain at Barça, at least for now.

Barcelona’s earlier plans with Araujo

Barcelona’s original plan had included the possibility of bringing in Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen, a move that could have spelt the end of Araujo’s time at the club.

However, Tah chose to join Bayern Munich instead, leaving the Catalan giants without a clear successor. That development has indirectly handed Araujo a reprieve.

Although the Uruguayan had renewed his contract until 2031 back in January, with an exit clause inserted specifically for this summer, it was agreed with Deco that the situation would be reassessed in the off-season.

Ronald Araujo wants to prove his worth. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

If Araujo no longer felt like a key player, he would be allowed to move on. That transfer, however, has not materialised.

Whether due to a lack of suitable offers or a genuine desire to prove himself again, Araujo is now committed to staying.

Araujo wants to prove his worth

Crucially, Araujo acknowledges his underwhelming form and believes that a disrupted preseason last summer played a significant role.

With no major international tournaments this time around, he now has the time and space to fully prepare and learn Flick’s tactical system.

The German coach, for his part, has shown faith in Araujo, even defending him publicly after costly Champions League errors.

That backing appears to have been a turning point, and barring a dramatic shift, Araujo is expected to wear the captain’s armband in 2025/26.

Whether he can turn things around on the pitch will largely depend on how he adapts to Flick’s methods and whether he can regain the confidence that once made him one of Europe’s most highly-rated centre-backs.