Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo has been granted an indefinite leave of absence after requesting time away from football, a decision the club approved following internal discussions early this week.
The Uruguayan center back was missing from Barcelona’s squad in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Alaves, with manager Hansi Flick initially citing a “stomach virus.”
His absence came only days after his last appearance – a difficult 3-0 Champions League defeat at Chelsea, where he was sent off late in the first half after picking up a second yellow card for a reckless foul on Marc Cucurella.
According to reporting from The Athletic, Barcelona sporting director Deco met with Araujo’s representatives on Monday and agreed to grant the 26-year-old captain time away from the team.
The club, the report said, committed to giving him “the time he needs.”
Flick declined to share further details when asked on Monday, urging reporters to respect the defender’s privacy. “It is a private situation, I don’t want to say more,” he said. “If you can respect it, I would appreciate it.” Barcelona did not immediately respond to requests for comment made outside working hours.
Araujo’s leave follows one of his most difficult stretches of the season.
His red card in London left Barcelona chasing the match with 10 men, and Chelsea capitalized with three goals through Estevao and Liam Delap after an earlier Jules Kounde own-goal.
It was an uncharacteristic display from the normally reliable captain, who has been a defensive anchor under Flick since the German manager took charge in the summer.
Despite the setback, Araujo has been central to Barcelona’s strong start to the La Liga campaign.
He has made 18 appearances across all competitions this season, contributed to seven clean sheets and maintained an 89% pass completion rate while winning a majority of his defensive duels.
Araujo’s rise remains one of Barcelona’s most successful development stories of the last decade.
Signed from Boston River in 2018 for a modest fee, he grew into a first-team regular by 2021 and later formed the core of the defense that helped secure the 2022-23 La Liga title.
He has also become a mainstay with Uruguay, collecting more than 40 caps and wearing the armband during the 2024 Copa América.
While Araujo steps away indefinitely, Barcelona must navigate a busy run of fixtures without their leader.
Either Pau Cubarsi, Andres Christensen, or Gerard Martin is expected to fill the gap in central defense.
Flick’s side reclaimed the top spot in La Liga over the weekend, powered by a Dani Olmo brace and a Lamine Yamal goal against Alaves.
Barcelona now prepare for a pivotal home matchup against fourth-placed Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
Atletico enter three points back with the league’s best defensive record, and Tuesday’s match offers Barcelona a chance to extend their lead before Real Madrid and Athletic Club play later in the round.
