Barcelona has had an outstanding season in which the highs have outweighed the lows, although there have been some. Without a doubt, the biggest blemish on Barça’s record this season was their elimination from the Champions League by Inter in the semifinals. In the match in Milan, Barcelona had their ticket to Munich in their hands, but with three minutes to go, a mistake at the back condemned them to extra time, which ended in drama.
One of the players who came out of the match at the Giuseppe Meazza most criticized was Araújo. The player took the center-back position in place of Íñigo Martínez and was involved in both of Inter’s last two goals, which eliminated Flick’s team from the Champions League. The player’s performance was below the level expected of him at such an important moment. The center back failed to mark and cover, first Acerbi and then Thuram in Frattesi’s final goal that ended the dream.
Araújo’s future up in the air
The player was heavily criticized for his performances and for “dropping out” of El Clásico after receiving a yellow card while on the bench, thus affecting his participation in the match. The criticism of his performance has reopened an old debate. The Uruguayan player was already on the verge of leaving for Juventus in the summer, but with Iñigo Martínez’s injury at the time, Barça decided to convince the player to stay and sign a new contract with a much more affordable release clause to facilitate his departure at the right time.
That moment could come this summer. Barça’s salary cap means that decisions have to be made regarding departures to free up space in the wage bill. Before the Champions League semi-finals, Araújo was already on the transfer list, but now he is even more so, as he has not performed well in recent games and is highly sought after, so a good offer is likely to come in.
The Barça center back already has several high-profile suitors in the transfer market who could pay his release clause. Suitors such as Bayern Munich and Manchester United are among the most interested and have the means to make a good offer.
Barça has a replacement in mind
Although the financial situation is not the best, the possibility of the center back’s departure and that of Christensen, whom Barça wants to get rid of, coupled with the number of goals conceded by the Catalans in recent weeks, has opened up the debate about the need to strengthen the defense ahead of next season. In this sense, the drama of the elimination against Inter Milan had a positive side, as Hansi Flick saw the type of player he wants for his defense.
Deco and his colleagues in the technical department have their eyes on Inter Milan center back Alessandro Bastoni. His performance during the tie against Barça has caught the attention of the Catalans. However, his departure will not be easy, as the player has a contract until 2028. Therefore, his arrival at the Camp Nou would be closely linked to the departure of Araújo for a good amount in the summer transfer market. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the future of the Barça defense.