Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick was both critical and defensive of Ronald Araújo in the aftermath of Tuesday’s meeting with Chelsea.
This of course comes after the Uruguayan’s latest high-profile mistake cost his side dear on the continent.
Barcelona are fresh off a night to forget on Tuesday, put to the sword in alarming fashion by three goals to nil at Stamford Bridge.
The aforementioned Araújo for his part played a prominent role in as much, for all the wrong reasons.
After picking up a yellow card during the first-half for dissent, the stopper was sent for an early bath on the stroke of the interval, for a reckless and frankly needless lunge on Marc Cucurella.
Araújo has since come in for heavy condemnation on the part of the Barcelona faithful, increasingly fed up with the performances of their defensive star.
And drawn on Araújo’s showing post-match in west London, Hansi Flick also admitted that his red card was ‘avoidable’.
The German also suggested, though, that he can do a better job of guiding the South American through fixtures:
“I don’t know why Araújo got the first yellow card. As for the second one, he could have avoided tackling like that. I think I can guide him more on what to do. It happens in football. It was not the time, nor the match, but that’s how it went.”
Conor Laird – GSFN
