Ronald Araujo shuts down noise around €200m Barcelona star ahead of El Clasico | OneFootball

Although he is still not a regular starter under Hansi Flick this season, Ronald Araujo continues to prove his leadership within the Barcelona squad. The Uruguayan center-back has been a key figure both on and off the pitch, and his recent goal against Girona helped the Catalan side secure three valuable points.

As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Araujo was among the players who took part in Thursday’s media day ahead of the upcoming El Clásico against Real Madrid. Speaking to Movistar+, he was asked about the ongoing media attention surrounding Lamine Yamal’s private life, and he made sure to defend the young winger’s professionalism.

“Lamine is very professional. He trains well, and what he does in matches, he also does in training. He runs, he fights… There’s a lot of talk outside, but what matters most is what he does on the field, both in training and in games.

I see him doing very well — very professional. He’s young and under a lot of pressure because he’s one of the best players in the world. He’s an amazing player and person. He has a very good family, and that’s the most important thing.”

Araujo’s comments come at a time when the €200 million-rated winger continues to draw attention not just for his performances, but also for the off-field noise that often follows players who break through at a young age.

Despite that, Yamal’s composure and focus have been widely praised within the club, and Araujo’s public backing further underscores the unity in the Barcelona dressing room ahead of Sunday’s crucial clash at the Santiago Bernabéu.

In another media appearance, this time with the South American channel DSport, the Uruguayan revealed how he is feeling ahead of this crunch game:

“I’m very calm. Maybe when the match gets closer, I’ll start to feel those butterflies in my stomach. But generally, I take it very calmly. I’m one of those who think — and what I want to convey to those playing their first Clásico — is to enjoy it.

We know what these games mean: playing against Real Madrid and how important this match is. But every time I’ve enjoyed myself, or we’ve enjoyed ourselves, things have gone well… we’re coming off a good run, and last year we won all the Clásicos… [but] every Clásico is special and different.”

Talking about his goal against Girona, the 26-year-old Barcelona vice-captain revealed that Luis Suárez “sent me a message after the match”. He also talked about Flick’s decision to play him as a striker:

“It was something iconic, but it was strange for a center-back to come on as a striker and score the winning goal. I was warming up when he (Flick) called me and said, ‘Can you go in as a No. 9?’ I said, ‘Of course,’ without hesitation. Everyone knows that as a kid I used to play up front, and I looked up and thought, ‘With 10 minutes left, I’m bound to get one chance’.”

The center-back also spoke highly of Fermin Lopez:

“Fermín is spectacular — he’s very dynamic, he scores goals… Honestly, he’s very important for us, and we’re happy that he stayed.”

Lastly, the Uruguayan also revealed that, when he was younger, “I wanted to be like Ronaldinho,” but getting older, “I watched a lot of Ferdinand, Puyol, Sergio Ramos, and Piqué.”

Ronald Araujo might start in the upcoming El Clásico, and if he does, hopefully, he will deliver another good performance, especially since he will be facing one of the most fearsome attacks in Spain.