The captain of FC Barcelona has put his career on hold for an indefinite period while he resolves his personal concerns. Highly criticized in the Catalan club environment in recent years, he hopes to recharge his batteries spiritually in Israel.
A trip to recharge your batteries. In psychological distress, Ronald Araujo, the captain of FC Barcelona, took charge of Israel this week. Authorized by his club to take a break for an “indefinite period” while he regains his strength, the Uruguayan central defender has been seen in Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bethlehem in recent days. A fervent believer, the latter undertook a mini-pilgrimage with the aim of visiting several Christian holy places in Israel.
A rare approach in the world of football, where issues related to mental health remain largely under-treated. If Araujo has not yet spoken to express his discomfort, the Barcelona press is categorical: the 26-year-old player had a very bad experience of the Catalan rout at Chelsea in the Champions League on November 25 (3-0). Sent off before the break at Stamford Bridge, the defender who arrived at Barça in 2018 was the target of numerous criticism after precipitating his team’s defeat.
A red card against PSG as a trigger
Once considered a great hope in world football, the man who made his debut in the Barcelona jersey at the age of 20 has not been spared by the followers of the Spanish giant in recent seasons. The reason: his recurring swings in concentration during big matches, like his red card received against Paris Saint-Germain during a Champions League quarter-final return leg in April 2024.
Close to leaving during the summer transfer window following this failure against PSG, Araujo was finally retained by the Barcelona board, but never regained his status as an indisputable starter under the orders of Hansi Flick. His mistake against Chelsea was therefore the straw that broke an already very full camel.
The Uruguayan international (25 caps) has not trained with his teammates since this match. On Monday December 1, his advisors met Deco, Barça’s sporting director, to discuss the mental state of their player “Not ready to play” according to his coach, he was therefore temporarily released from his obligations while he recharged his batteries, without any deadline being set for him.
A highly criticized stay
Known to be a staunch Catholic, Araujo did not go on vacation and instead chose spiritual retreat, much like Victor Wembanyama did last summer. But unlike the basketball star, the central defender is not going to rub shoulders with Buddhist monks in a Shaolin temple. According to several Israeli media, he went to the Western Wall to pray.
If the native of Rivera hopes to find in the heart of the Hebrew State a haven of peace allowing him to reconnect with himself, in the words of the Catalan daily Sport, this parenthesis has not distanced him from criticism. Indeed, his stay in Israel was very poorly received by many Barça followers on social networks due to the geopolitical context and the war in Gaza. The Barcelona player has not published anything on his personal networks since November 24.
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