Ronald Araujo Hails Xavi For ‘Restoring The Club Philosophy’, Sees Himself As A Leader
In a recent interview with EFE Deportes, Ronald Araujo has offered his thoughts on Barcelona’s progress under Xavi Hernandez. He praised the Barcelona coach for the changes he has brought to the table, while the defender also talked about his desire to be at Camp Nou in the years to come.
“With the arrival of Xavi, I learned a lot from him because he restored the Barcelona philosophy that was lost in recent years. The team has changed and the results reflect this,” said Araujo, who has been one of the defensive mainstays for Barcelona this season.
The Uruguayan international’s performances have only improved since he picked up an injury at the end of last year, which ruled him out of the World Cup.
Talking about his experience during the injury period, Araujo said, “In a way, the injury helped me a lot. I was able to analyze and review my mistakes. I watched a lot of videos and became better physically.”
Araujo has indeed become a better player for Barcelona since the turn of the year, emerging as a real leader at the back. When asked about his leadership role in the team, Araujo said, “I consider myself a leader because of my character, because of how I am.”
The centre-back also talked about his attitude during defensive duels, adding, “When I extract the ball in defence, I celebrate because I feel it that way.”
Araujo also expressed his happiness at being a part of the Barcelona side, hinting at his desire to play for the club in the years to come. “I am happy to be in Barcelona and I have always said this. I proved it when I renewed the contract because I want to stay here regardless of the offers,” he said.
Ronald Araujo was one of the players involved in Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League. He will be hoping for a more improved display in defence when the Catalans take on the Premier League giants once again this midweek.
