Hansi Flick should really start €20m-rated Barcelona player against Atletico Madrid – Opinion | OneFootball

There is no denying that Atletico Madrid are among the toughest opponents that Barcelona will face in La Liga this season. Moreover, they are one of the few sides to have completely dismantled the Catalan giants this term.

That humbling came at the hands of Diego Simeone’s team in a 4–0 defeat at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie.

Since then, La Blaugrana have managed to beat the Madrid-based outfit at Spotify Camp Nou, but they must now return to the same stadium that dealt such a crushing blow and proved decisive to end their cup hopes.

Conceding that many goals highlighted the poor organisation and discipline of Barcelona’s back line, and exposed a lack of intensity that allowed the opposition to exploit Flick’s high defensive line. A key part of that, however, was the new Atletico Madrid signing, Ademola Lookman.

Operating on the left, he has the speed and decisiveness to carve out space for himself and hurt opponents. For that reason, at Sempre Barca, we believe Hansi Flick should start Ronald Araujo against Atletico Madrid tonight, as he could be a viable solution at right-back to minimise the threat Lookman poses to the Barcelona goal.

Truth be told, the €20 million-rated Uruguayan defender does not currently enjoy overwhelming support from the fanbase, and that is understandable. He can be prone to poor decision-making and has, at times, cost the team.

However, playing devil’s advocate, one could argue that he remains the most effective option in this situation. This is primarily due to his track record against top wingers and his experience of being deployed at right-back for such tactical adjustments.

Previously, against players such as Vinicius Jr in particular, Araujo has consistently shown an ability to handle such threats and match their pace. While he may not always make the best decisions, he is more than capable of applying pressure to tricky wingers.

Beyond that, there is also the physicality he offers. Against Atletico Madrid, in the game Barça frustratingly lost at this stadium, the Uruguayan did not feature until late in the second half. By then, the Catalan giants had already conceded four goals, and the tie was effectively over.

Thus, in a game like this, on a pitch as unpredictable as this one, Araujo’s physical presence could help Barcelona match Atletico Madrid’s style in their own backyard. Moreover, his aerial ability could prove valuable.

After all, in Barça’s previous La Liga outing at Spotify Camp Nou against Rayo Vallecano, their only goal came from Ronald Araujo, securing the win. With Simeone’s tendency to force cagey encounters, the Uruguayan could provide a moment of relief out of nowhere.

On the other hand, Eric Garcia is also a clear option to start. Ultimately, it will be Hansi Flick’s decision, and with Jules Kounde having returned from injury, it may be a welcome selection dilemma for the German coach ahead of such a massive game.