Barcelona captain’s performance against Mallorca creates a fresh dilemma for Hansi Flick | OneFootball

Barcelona kick-started their 2025/26 campaign with a 3-0 win over RCD Mallorca at San Moix, a performance that left Hansi Flick yearning for more.

It was a game that saw Pau Cubarsi starting alongside Ronald Araujo in central defence, with Barcelona now no longer having the option of starting Inigo Martinez.

Araujo was the captain for Barcelona in the absence of Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The Uruguayan international didn’t disappoint either, but his weaknesses should be a cause for concern in the coming matches.

Araujo’s contrasting performance vs Mallorca

As pointed out by SPORT, Araujo’s evening was one of contrasts, leading to a fresh dilemma for manager Hansi Flick.

Defensively, the Barcelona captain stood tall in duels, winning two of three aerial battles and being steady as a rock in close quarters.

Mallorca’s direct play after the red cards played to his strengths, and he rarely looked troubled one-on-one.

But when tasked with building play, the cracks were clear. Mallorca deliberately left him space, forcing him to initiate attacks, and he struggled to respond.

Ronald Araujo must improve and improve quickly (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

Araujo completed just 38 of 47 passes (81%), lost nine possessions, and managed only one successful long pass out of four attempts.

In comparison, his partner Cubarsi showed far greater composure, recording 92% passing accuracy, taking more risks, and losing the ball only four times.

Why Araujo must improve

Araujo’s weakness in passing the ball out from the back isn’t a new issue for Barcelona. PSG targeted the same flaw in the 2024 Champions League quarterfinal.

With Barcelona looking to dominate possession under Flick, it could become a recurring vulnerability.

Flick even adjusted by reshaping his buildup, giving Araujo extra passing options, but Mallorca’s approach highlighted how easily opponents can disrupt Barça by exploiting his distribution.

Therefore, if Araujo doesn’t improve in this department, Barcelona risk spiralling into old problems, especially if they continue to try and dominate possession and play with a high defensive line.

Flick, for his part, will then have to decide whether to stick with his captain or pair Cubarsi with someone else, with the likes of Andreas Christensen, Eric Garcia, and even Jules Kounde available as options.