FC Barcelona defender, Ronald Araujo, responded to criticism from teammate Ilkay Gundogan.
Gundogan criticised Araujo, stating that the defender would have been better off not attempting the challenge on Bradly Barcola resulting in his dismissal.
The Uruguayan sought forgiveness from Barcelona fans after getting sent off less than half an hour into the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week.
His red card proved to be the decisive moment in a game that Barcelona was leading 1-0 on the night on a 4-2 aggregate.
Kylian Mbappe then took the penalty which led the visitors to a comeback against a 10-man opposition, advancing to the semi-finals with a total score of 6-4.
On Wednesday afternoon, Araujo posted on social media, “Football that gave me so much joy now hits me hard. I thank all those who are unconditionally by my side, my teammates who left everything on the field, and the fans who believed in this team until the end.”
But in an interview with CBS Sports just after the game, Gundogan blasted Araujo for his insane outburst. He made no mention of the centre back by name, but everyone knew to whom the German was alluding.
“I don’t even know if he was able to reach the ball,” Gundogan made a comment regarding the player Araujo took down.
“I prefer to keep to myself what I think about Gundogan’s statements. I have codes and values that have to be respected,” said Araujo regarding Gundogan’s comment.
Gundogan has been in hot water over his interviews several times this season. After losing to rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico earlier this season, the veteran midfielder criticised the dressing room’s reaction to such a major loss, prompting accusations of a tense atmosphere behind the scenes.
Upon being asked again if he had spoken with Gundogan, he only replied, “I already answered that question.”
In the wake of the devastating loss, Gundogan’s wife sprung to the midfielder’s rescue and praised his “treble mentality”.
Araujo stated that his club “had it in our hands to qualify” for the semifinals and that he was “sad” about being knocked out by PSG “like all Barca fans”.
In spite of this, he acknowledges that his dismissal may have affected the result because his team was left with just ten players, but he doesn’t hold himself fully liable for the disappointment.
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