Praise from a former legend of the game is always a moment of pride for footballers and, now, Ronald Araujo has become acquainted with the feeling at the hands of Carles Puyol, an ex-Barcelona captain and maestro.
Ronald Araujo has been absent from the field since his injury to his right hamstring which he sustained during the Copa America back in July meaning he has yet to play under the newly minted coach Hansi Flick.
Despite his recent lack of playtime, no doubts are being harbored concerning the defender’s adeptness as one only needs to see him play for a sliver of time to be convinced of his skill.
Carlos Puyol sees a resemblance between himself and Araujo
Now, Carles Puyol has rained praise upon the shoulders of Araujo, stating in an interview with Diario SPORT that he is not only impressed by the level of technique the Uruguayan possessed but that he even sees similarities between himself and Araujo, in terms of their playstyle.
“For me, he is a very good player and one of the best defenders in the world. I think everyone has to make their own career but we can have some similarities,” are the exact words the Spaniard used.
At an admittedly nerve-racking time for any player coming out of injury-that too to a completely unfamiliar system and environment, these words of admiration seemed perfectly timed for the last leg of Araujo’s recovery.
The prodigy can take comfort in knowing that he is, at least on paper, the perfect aggressive addition to Flick’s line-up while simultaneously possessing a needed leadership quality pivotal for a team full of juveniles.
Whether or not he will be able to adapt swiftly to Flick’s highline remains to be seen. Still, it can be assumed that the Uruguayan will fight tooth and nail for a starting position meaning things are about to get a lot more competitive in the backline. The centre-back will push everyone to be a better player pushing the Blaugranes to new heights.
