“I consider myself a leader because of who I am and because of my identity”

Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo has emerged as one of the leaders of Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez.the team least crushed in LaLiga, a role that was made clear in an interview with EFEHe naturally accepts into a group of players who, in his opinion, are family.

Uruguay reviews the good moment he is going through after overcoming the injury that prevented him from appearing for the first time in the World Cup in Qatar, and admits that not winning the League would mean “great sadness” and delves into his personality, on and off the field.

Recovering from a twitching longus tendon in his right thigh that forced him to undergo surgery last September, Araujo says he’s in a good moment, in part, because of all the work he did while in dry dock.

“The injury helped me a lot, especially in working the time I was out, analyzing a lot, and figuring out what was wrong. I’ve watched a lot of videos, I’ve physically worked out many aspects that, when you’re competing, probably don’t work. The idea was to get back into a team rhythm, which is hard when you’ve been out for three months.”

The injury did not stop his progress. At the age of 23, Araujo is a mainstay of Xavi Hernandez, one of the main people who, according to the player, explain his good performance.

“With the arrival of Xavi, I learned a lot because he brought back to us the Barcelona philosophy that has been lost in recent years. I’m more of a learner, but the team has changed and it shows in the results,” he said.

In this sense, it is considered that the Catalan coach and his coaching staff are responsible for Barcelona being the least defeated team in the major European tournaments.

“The fruits of our work are being seen. Since Xavi’s arrival, we have been growing. He has done all the things he wanted. In addition, we managed to get well prepared and learned a lot from a technical and tactical point of view. Defending. Reinforcements have arrived and that adds a lot,” he added.

Added to this is the good chemistry between his teammates. Araujo considers that among all the defenders they have a “healthy rivalry”, regardless of the fact that in recent days he himself, Jules Conde, Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde are more important.

And accurate: “It shows on the field that we are a family, and we are all here to give our best.”

In general, Araujo is not shy about his role as leader, a word Xavi has repeated over and over to define him. “Yes, I consider myself (a captain) because of my personality, because of my nature, I like that the team is in good shape, I like to know how my team mates are doing, because I want them all to be in good shape. On the pitch, I talk all the time because that’s the way to keep I keep my focus. I know it helps my teammates a lot.”he argues.

Among his references, Araujo mentions the former Barcelona captain Carles Puyolfrom which he still watches videos of his time as a player and which he considers an “inspiration” for him.

And like the Barcelona legend, the Uruguayan also enjoys defending: “That’s why when I do something defensive, I celebrate it, because I test it that way.”

But Araujo’s ambition is to continue growing in Barcelona, ​​​​who has not yet been able to register him in La Liga with the contract he signed last summer until 2026 due to the difficulties that the entity faces in complying with fair financial regulations.

However, the Rivera defender says he’s not worried about this: “I’m happy, happy to be at Barcelona, ​​I’ve always said it and show it with renewal. I wanted to stay here, despite the many offers I’ve had. I don’t worry, the club will take care of that.” “.

In the short term, Araujo only thinks of lifting a major title with Barcelona this season, and the main goal is LaLiga. The Catalan team is the leader with an 8-point advantage over its closest rival, Real Madrid.

“Not winning La Liga would be a huge sadness, because the team is so good, because it is up to us to win it after so many years. With the team we have, I think we have to do it,” he said.

Away from the field, the Uruguay national footballer defines himself as a “very charismatic and familiar” person who loves being at home, whether watching football matches, sharing a barbecue with his family or taking care of his daughter.

“I watch a lot of football, even Uruguay, from almost all leagues, But I have a little daughter who has to devote time to my family,” she reveals.

Religion also has an important weight in his life — “For me, God is everything,” he says — and notes that his parents were the “foundation” for him to become a professional soccer player.

“My parents have always motivated me since I was little, they took me to training. I didn’t have any pressure, everything was to do sports, so that I wouldn’t walk in the street with bad influences. They gave me everything, they worked to buy me football boots and they always helped me” , he remembers.

Thanks to his parents and their efforts, Araujo has become one of the current and future central defenders of world football, something he achieves with the following principle: “I work every day to try to be the best.”