Ronald Araujo: 5 Things to Know About Barcelona's Emerging Centre-Back
Barcelona marked their return to La Liga action with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Mallorca on Saturday night, with the Catalans extending their lead at the summit to five points.
And while it was Lionel Messi who stole the show with a mesmeric performance despite the lengthy lay-off, it was the inclusion of 21-year-old Ronald Araujo in Quique Setien's starting XI which was another source of discussion.
With Clement Lenglet injured and Setien unconvinced by Samuel Umtiti, it was the opportune time for Araujo to impress, which he did; churning out a sound and composed defensive display amid the threat posed by the supremely talented Takefuso Kubo drifting infield from the right.
Thus, with the defender potentially being a fixture in the Catalans' surge for a third consecutive La Liga crown, here are a few things to know about him.
Uruguayan Youth Career
Araujo was born in Rivera, Uruguay and started his career at local club Huracán de Rivera but struggled to establish himself in the youth set-up. Thus, he made the switch to second tier outfit Rentistas at 16, enjoying six months in the Under-18's before making the step up to the first team.
After just two years with Rentistas, Araujo was on the move once more, this time joining Primera Division outfit Boston River.
A stellar campaign in the Uruguayan top flight convinced Barcelona to secure his services in 2018 for a €1.7m fee, initially being assigned to the reserve squad.
He's a Big Gerard Pique Guy
Thousands of aspiring centre-halves across the globe would love to have Gerard Pique's life; the class, the longevity, the accolades, the wife, and Araujo is no different.
Speaking in an interview on Barcelona's official YouTube channel, the 21-year-old spoke of his admiration for the Spaniard.
"I always try to watch Gerard because he's a top role model for me.
"His skill on the ball and positional sense. He's not very quick but he's always in the right place. In him I find the things I'm lacking," he said.
Araujo got up close and personal with the ageless Pique on Saturday night, partnering him at centre-back for the entirety of the contest.
Nightmareish Debut
As he stepped onto the Camp Nou turf for his first tem debut against Sevilla in October 2019, replacing stunt double Jean-Clair Todibo in the 73rd minute, Araujo described himself as emotional but relaxed.
He just couldn't believe he was playing in front of 80,000 people.
However, it was a dream that would only last 13 minutes as he was sent off (rather harshly) for a challenge on Javier Hernandez four minutes from time.
"My sending off wasn't my fault. It was a shoulder to shoulder. I won't let it extinguish the joy of my first-team debut," Araujo said post-match, although he wouldn't appear in Blaugrana colours again before the unprecedented halt in March.
Domineering Presence
Standing at 6'3, Araujo is a sight to behold in the Barcelona backline.
His build can be likened to that of Todibo - whose departure on loan highlights the Blaugrana's faith in Araujo - which means he's incredibly dominant in the air, while the Uruguayan's also blessed with the requisite upper body strength and recovery speed to be a striker's nightmare.
Although there are some concerns about his ball-playing capabilities in Setien's system - he coped fine against Mallorca - it's his maturity which has got many within the club just a wee bit excited about his potential. He's positionally astute and despite his youthfulness, he's able to establish a sense of order in the defence, something that was on full display on Saturday night.
Bit of a Goal Threat
His aforementioned supreme aerial ability means Araujo is an absolute demon from set-pieces, and in 89 senior appearances dating back to his Rentistas days, the Uruguay youth international has scored an impressive 12 times.
The 21-year-old even bagged a hat-trick during his second season at the Uruguayan outfit, with his trio of strikes helping his side to a 3-2 win at Villa Española in the second tier.
He's since scored six times in 42 appearances for Barcelona 'B', with the majority of his strikes being a combination of emphatic headed efforts or poacher's instincts from a loose ball.