FC Barcelona faced Valencia in a difficult match last night, which they won nevertheless. Ronald Araujo, despite being sent off on the hour mark, put in a great performance, which was reciprocated by the fans with an applause.
The defense has been one of the main contributors to the position in which FC Barcelona finds themselves in the domestic competitions. FC Barcelona is atop the league table with a 9 points lead, and also have one foot in the final of Copa del Rey, as they enjoy a one-goal advantage over Real Madrid in the semi-final tie.
While the backline of Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, and Balde have all been exceptional this season, Ronald Araujo is arguably the brightest in this set. This was particularly the case in the recent matches and the last Liga match against Valencia. Against Real Madrid, he effectively contained the most dangerous threat that Real Madrid offered, Vinicius Junior.
Against Valencia, he again put in a good display as he had one blocked shot, one dribble, six of eleven long balls completed, and 47 passes with an 85% success rate. The fact that he played only around 60 minutes on the pitch makes this performance even sweeter for the fans.
The player can also not be blamed for the red card, as it was a mistake from Kounde that left Araujo with no choice but to take out Hugo Duro and get sent off in the process. As Araujo walked off the pitch, he was encouraged by a number of his teammates, while the Blaugrana fans attending the game also gave him a resounding applause.
Players who give their all on the pitch are always loved by the Camp Nou faithful, and this ovation for Araujo was not only for his latest performance against Valencia but also for the spectacular level he has shown since returning from injury.
