Following his straight red card against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Ronald Araujo has broken his silence, reflecting on the unfortunate turn of events that led to Barcelona’s elimination from the competition.
In a dramatic turn of events, PSG staged a remarkable comeback after losing the first leg of the quarter-final tie 3-2, securing a 4-1 victory in Catalonia on Tuesday night to advance to the semi-finals.
Barcelona took an early lead with Raphinha’s goal in the 12th minute, marking the club’s 600th Champions League goal. However, their momentum was halted when Araujo was sent off in the 29th minute for denying Bradley Barcola a clear scoring opportunity.
Visibly frustrated by the decision, the 25-year-old vehemently protested his innocence, while coach Xavi also faced expulsion in the second half, compounding Barcelona’s woes.
In the aftermath of the disappointing exit, Araujo expressed gratitude to his teammates and the fans for their support during a challenging period.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, he said: “The football that gave me so much joy, now hits me hard. I thank all those who are unconditionally by my side, my teammates who left everything on the field, and the fans who believed in this team until the end.
“I am very sorry not to give you this joy. We will try again. Forca Barca, forever! God in control.”
With Araujo’s absence on the field, Barcelona saw their 4-2 aggregate lead crumble as PSG scored four unanswered goals to secure a resounding 4-1 victory on the night and a 6-4 aggregate win overall.
Xavi expressed his frustration post-match, placing blame on referee Istvan Kovacs for their untimely exit.
Nevertheless, Barcelona must swiftly shift their focus to their upcoming clash against La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Sunday night, aiming to bounce back from the setback.
