Barcelona Grants Araujo Indefinite Leave for Mental Health

Barcelona's star defender and captain Ronald Araujo has been granted an indefinite leave of absence by the club at his own request, amid reports of psychological stress following a high-profile red card in a recent Champions League match. The 28-year-old Uruguayan international, a key figure in the team's defense, stepped away after discussions with club officials, with Barcelona committing to provide him the time needed for recovery.

Araujo's absence began after Barcelona's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on November 26, where he received a second yellow card in the 44th minute for tripping Marc Cucurella, leaving his team short-handed and contributing to the loss. The incident drew significant criticism, exacerbating what sources describe as a mental rather than physical issue. Although manager Hansi Flick initially attributed Araujo's exclusion from the squad to a stomach virus during the 3-1 La Liga victory over Alaves on November 30 at Spotify Camp Nou, subsequent reports clarified that the defender has not trained with the team since the Chelsea game. He spent recent sessions in the gym instead of on the pitch and was absent from the matchday roster against Alaves.