Flick Confirms Araujo Ruled Out of Atletico Clash

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has confirmed that defender Ronald Araujo will be unavailable for Tuesday’s crucial La Liga encounter against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Flick revealed that Araujo—who missed the club’s last outing due to a stomach bug—has not recovered sufficiently to return. He hinted at additional personal factors affecting the player but declined to elaborate, urging the media to respect Araujo’s privacy.

“Araujo isn’t ready; it’s a private matter, and I don’t want to say more. I would ask you to respect their wishes; that’s all I can and will say,” Flick said.

The coach also highlighted the strength of Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, describing them as one of the most formidable sides in Europe. He stressed that Barcelona would need to be at their best to secure maximum points as the title race tightens.

There was positive news for the Catalans, however, with winger Raphinha expected to be available after cutting short Monday’s training session as a precaution.

Atletico trail Barcelona by just three points, making Araujo’s absence a major setback ahead of the top-of-the-table showdown.