Araujo, Gerard Martin react after Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid: ‘If anyone can come back from this, it’s us’ | OneFootball

Barcelona’s Champions League ambitions suffered a major dent after a 0-2 defeat at home to Atletico Madrid, but within the dressing room, belief in a comeback remains very much alive. 

Despite the disappointment at Spotify Camp Nou, the mood among the players is far from defeated.

Captain Ronald Araujo was one of the first to step forward after the match, offering a mix of honesty and determination. 

Talking about the performance, he admitted that the result did not reflect the effort shown by the team, especially in difficult circumstances.

“We tried, but it just didn’t work out. To be honest, we came out stronger in the second half. 

“Even though we were down a man, we controlled the ball, but we just couldn’t find the back of the net. I’m sad about the loss, but I’m confident we can bounce back. 

“This team can turn this around, and I’m convinced of it,” he began.

Earlier experiences

The Uruguayan defender then reinforced his belief by drawing on the team’s experiences earlier this season, where they have already shown resilience in tough moments. 

“We’ve done it many times. It’s definitely tough on their home field, but if anyone can do this, it’s us. 

“We have great players, great quality, a lot of character, and we’re going to go for it even on their home field. We’re going to go for the comeback,” he added.

When analysing what went wrong, Araujo pointed to a key moment – the red card shown to Pau Cubarsi, which disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm, while missed chances prevented them from shifting momentum. 

“Rashford had great chances to score. Maybe if we’d scored a goal, the game would have changed a bit. But there’s nothing to blame this team for. 

Gerard Martin was not happy with refereeing decisions. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

“We tried until the end, and we didn’t get the result we wanted,” he explained.

Even with those setbacks, Araujo stressed the importance of mentality heading into the second leg, insisting the team must remain united and confident. 

“We need to adopt a positive mindset so that they can trust us.”

Gerard Martin’s analysis

Meanwhile, Gerard Martin also shared his thoughts, particularly on one of the most controversial moments of the game – a handball incident involving an Atletico player that went unpunished. 

Martin expressed disbelief that VAR did not intervene in what appeared to be a clear infringement.

“In that play, the goalkeeper catches the ball and plays it. The ball is in play. Clearly, the player stops it with his hand. 

“It’s possible the referee on the field didn’t see it, because it’s a bit of a silly play, but from the VAR, they definitely have to see that play. 

“The ball is in play and he stops it with his hand,” said Martin.

He also admitted that conceding after the red card made the task even harder for Barcelona. 

“When the goal comes, everything changes. Because with a team of this calibre, having an extra player makes a difference,” he added.

Despite everything, he echoed the same belief as his captain – that the tie is far from over. 

“We’re disappointed with how the match went today, but we’re the first to know that we can go there and turn the tie around,” he concluded.

Source: Mundo Deportivo