Hansi Flick could turn to ‘very strong’ Barcelona defender to handle 6 feet 6 inches Woltemade in Newcastle clash | OneFootball

One question that FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick still does not have an answer to this season is who his first-choice pairing for the centre-back positions will be. The four La Liga games so far have featured three different pairings.

Ronald Araujo, the club vice-captain and effectively the captain in Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s absence, started the first two games alongside Pau Cubarsi, but he was benched for the third and fourth. He missed the Valencia encounter, possibly due to his long flight back from South America.

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However, according to SPORT, Hansi Flick might have chosen to rest Araujo against Valencia to keep him fresh for the Newcastle United clash. The German coach may start the Uruguayan at St James’ Park to deal with the aerial threat of Nick Woltemade.

Newcastle’s brand-new German striker is an absolute unit, standing tall at six feet six inches, and the English team is full of similar profiles. In this regard, there is no better central defender suited to the task in the Barcelona squad than Araujo.

Photo Courtesy: The official website of FC Barcelona

Despite recent nightmares in the Champions League, the Uruguayan remains one of the best in a physical battle when he is switched on. Vinicius Jr, reflecting on Araujo back in April 2023, called him ‘very strong’ and added:

Thus, he is likely to be a lock for the game in England, with his partner likely to be Cubarsi. The 18-year-old Spaniard had a stupendous game against Valencia, impressing both with his duelling and ball-playing, and should get the nod against Newcastle, although one could make a case for Andreas Christensen to start, considering his experience in England.

For Araujo, facing Newcastle United on a big Champions League night would be a huge test, considering his direct role in Barcelona’s last two eliminations from the tournament. It remains to be seen how the South American performs on the night if Flick decides to start him.