Barcelona squad wants to win Spanish Super Cup for captain going through difficult phase | OneFootball

Barcelona head into the Spanish Super Cup final against Real Madrid with more than just silverware on their minds. 

According to a report from AS (h/t FCB World), the Blaugrana dressing room is driven by a strong emotional motive of winning the trophy and dedicating it to Ronald Araujo as a gesture of support during one of the toughest periods of his career.

Araujo, one of Barcelona’s captains, has not played a single minute for the club since his red card against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League in late November. 

That moment marked the beginning of a difficult chapter for the Uruguayan defender, both professionally and mentally. 

After the incident, he requested permission from the club to take an indefinite leave, which Barcelona accepted. 

Since then, speculation has surrounded his situation, but there has been no official confirmation regarding a return date.

Unity for Araujo

Since Araujo last featured, Barcelona have played nine competitive matches across competitions, and he has not been involved in any of them. 

While he was named in the squad for the Spanish Super Cup, he did not take part in the semi-final victory over Athletic Club. 

Ronald Araujo is going through a tough time. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

All indications now suggest that he will also be unavailable for Sunday’s final against Real Madrid.

Araujo is a respected leader, a voice of authority on the pitch, and a figure many younger players look up to. 

His absence has been felt, not only in defensive terms, but also in terms of presence and character.

That is precisely where the motivation comes in. The Barcelona squad is fully aware that their captain has endured a harsh December and has been far from his best emotionally in recent weeks. 

Rather than allowing that to weigh the group down, it has had the opposite effect. 

Beating Real Madrid is always special for Barcelona, but doing so in a final carries even more meaning. 

Inside the dressing room, the idea of lifting the trophy and dedicating it to Araujo has become a source of inspiration.