Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has spoken about respecting “codes and values” in response to teammate Ilkay Gundogan’s comments on his sending off against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Araujo, 25, was sent off in the 29th minute of Tuesday’s quarterfinal second leg. Barça had won the first leg in Paris 3-2 and led 1-0 at Montjuic after Raphinha’s 12th-minute opener, but the red card proved to be a turning point in the tie.
PSG won 4-1 in the second leg with four unanswered goals to advance to the semi-final with a 6-4 aggregate victory. After the match, Gundogan, 33, highlighted Araujo’s foul as “killing us” in relation to their hopes of progression.
“We were in such a good position after the first goal that we scored (to lead 4-2 on aggregate),” the Germany international said immediately after the match. “Everything was in our hands. We just gave it to PSG in the simplest way, and that’s the most disappointing part.
“If Araujo fouled (Bradley) Barcola, I guess it’s a red card. I haven’t seen the replay yet so I don’t know if he got the ball, but it’s hard to say. In these crucial moments, you have to be sure to recover the ball. If you don’t understand, you should stay away.
“Of course I would have preferred to concede a goal there, or give the striker a one-on-one against (goalkeeper Marc-André) Ter Stegen. Cutting back to 10 men with so much time to play killed us.
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When asked directly what he thought of Gundogan’s comments, Araujo replied: “I prefer to keep what I think about these comments to myself.” I have my codes and my values that I think must be respected.
Asked if he thought Gundogan was not living up to these codes and values, Araujo said: “I think I’ve already answered that question. »
Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen said of Araujo’s red card in the mixed zone after the match: “I don’t want to say it was a mistake by Araujo because he was chasing the ball. But if the referee gives a foul there, it is a red card. This moment changed everything for us.
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Gundogan’s comments are not the first time the former Manchester City player has publicly questioned his teammates.
In October, he said he expected “more anger”, “more emotion” and “resistance” from his comrades after their La Liga defeat to Real Madrid in the Clasico.
“I don’t want to say anything bad, to be honest,” Gundogan said after that match. “But I was in the dressing room now, and of course people are disappointed, but especially after such a big game and such a result, I wish (more frustration, more anger and more disappointment).
“That’s kind of the problem. I don’t know, there has to be more emotion, especially when you lose and you know you can perform better in certain situations, and you just don’t react and that carries over to the field.
“We have to take a big step, otherwise Real Madrid or even Girona will run away and I didn’t come here to lose this type of match and let the gap build.
“There is also a responsibility on my part, as a more experienced player, to not allow the team to let things happen. No, we need resistance.
(Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)