FC Barcelona triumphed over Real Madrid in emphatic fashion in the Spanish Super Cup final, securing a commanding 5-2 victory. The scoreline could have been even more lopsided if not for a red card early in the second half, which disrupted the Catalan club’s momentum.
Barcelona didn’t have it all their way on the night. They conceded a stunning goal to Kylian Mbappe against the run of play within the first five minutes and soon after, one of their standout performers this season, Iñigo Martínez, was forced to leave the pitch due to an injury.
Ronald Araújo was brought on to replace the Spaniard, despite uncertainty surrounding his future at the club. The 25-year-old Barcelona defender has reportedly decided to leave and is keen on joining Juventus during this transfer window.
Amid all the off-field uncertainty, if this was indeed Araujo’s final game in a Barcelona shirt, the Uruguayan delivered a performance for the ages. He was an absolute rock at the back, denying both Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe any real chance at goal for the majority of his time on the pitch.
After the game, during the trophy celebrations, as captured by Movistar cameras and quoted by Mundo Deportivo, club veteran Robert Lewandowski was seen having an arm around Ronald Araújo’s shoulders and telling him not to leave. He said:
“You have to stay, Ronald! And then, in the summer, if you want, you can go, now you’re going to play.”
Gavi was also seen talking to Araujo during the trophy celebrations and the Spaniard even urged the traveling Barcelona fanbase to show their love for the Uruguayan centre-back. Ultimately, it remains to be seen if any of this has changed his mind.
Irrespective of what Araújo wants to do, Barcelona might not sanction a sale for the Uruguayan right now after the injury to Iñigo Martínez, which is set to sideline him for five weeks. The club now needs their #4 more than ever.
The next few days could end up being pivotal in how the future plays out for Ronald Araújo. One can only hope that he stays and continues at Barcelona for a long time but that isn’t in the club’s hands and let’s wait and see how it plays out.