A member of the defensive ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona was tested in a brand new role in the club’s latest outing.
And it proved to be nothing short of a masterstroke on the part of manager Hansi Flick.
The player in question? Ronald Araújo.
Stopper Araújo was for his part forced to make do with a spot on the bench this evening, as Barcelona marked their return to action in a meeting with Catalan rivals Girona.
Hansi Flick, instead, opted for a central-defensive partnership of Pau Cubarsí, and Eric García.
Late in proceedings, with the Blaugrana in desperate search of an all-important winner, however, the Uruguayan was introduced to the fray.
Not only that, but with Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres sidelined through injury, Araújo was bizarrely thrown on at centre-forward.
And what a call it proved to be…
As proceedings rolled into injury-time, and Barcelona looked all set for a third winless outing in succession, the club’s defensive leader popped up with the game’s decisive goal.
The Blaugrana, in turn, have returned to the summit of the La Liga table.
Conor Laird – GSFN
