The Uruguayan emerged to seal an unthinkable victory against Real Sociedad
It is not the first time nor will it be the last that the central defender comes to the rescue of Barça
It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. Ronald Araujo appeared when Barça needed him most. He always does it to support the team, but last night, at the Reale Arena, he did it to make differences.
The team led by Xavi Hernández completed a very disappointing match against a Real Sociedad that could not believe the final outcome of the match. The coach himself recognized it. Barça didn’t play well. And what’s worse, he didn’t put the intensity on the pitch that is needed in matches of this caliber. But when everything seemed lost, when it seemed that two vital points were slipping away, he found a footballer who never gives up, who cannot conceive of playing in any other way than to leave his breath in every action until the referee blows his whistle.
The Uruguayan had a bad time with a Barrenetxea was a real nightmare on the right wing. Xavi once again placed him at right back to reinforce the defensive system, with Joao Cancelo ahead. The same system that he used to stop Vinicius and that gave him such a good result in the classic a week ago regardless of the result.
Perhaps Araujo was aware that he was not playing his best game, but the word surrender does not exist in his vocabulary. With the game dying and Barça attempting the only victory in 90 minutes, the Uruguayan centre-back joined the attack to work the miracle.
A minute earlier, Gavi – another of those who never gives up – had forgiven Remiro for Barça’s only clear chance in the entire match. Araujo did not fail. Ilkay Gündogan put a cool cross at the far post and The Uruguayan entered like a plane to head the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Txuri Urdin.
La Real played a great game, but there are games that have to be won no matter what.
The miracle came with suspense, since the referee of the match, Javier Alberola Rojas, initially annulled it. Araújo entered with such force that the offside seemed obvious… but the television images rectified the error. The Barça center back starts in the correct position when Gündogan connects the center and the VAR communicated this to the La Mancha referee..
The goal went up the scoreboard and unleashed madness among the Barça players who celebrated in style a victory that they were aware they had not deserved.
Araujo showed his ambition at the end of the game, remembering that it was his first goal of the season and that he had to give more to the team in this regard. The Uruguayan valued the victory over the game: “After losing the classic by playing well, it was key to win and they are three very important points. La Real has done a great job, but there is a game that must be played no matter what.”