FC Barcelona understood how important their Matchday 9 fixture against Girona FC was. Following the international break, and with ELCLASICO coming up in Matchday 10, it was imperative for Los Azulgranas to bounce back from their 4-1 loss at Sevilla FC with a home victory over their Catalan neighbours. They got the job done, winning 2-1, but it was far from easy. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
A super solo goal from Pedri put FC Barcelona into an early lead, but Axel Witsel equalised shortly afterwards with a sensational overhead kick for Girona FC. That left Barça searching and searching for another go-ahead goal, but it wasn’t forthcoming. And so, in the 82nd minute, coach Hansi Flick brought Ronald Araújo off the bench… but not in his usual position of centre-back.
Instead, Araújo came on up front, playing as a makeshift centre-forward. That was a decision which raised plenty of eyebrows, but it worked to perfection as the Uruguayan pounced in the third minute of stoppage time to convert a Frenkie de Jong cutback, a goal which even veteran striker Robert Lewandowski would have been proud of.
Hansi Flick’s “feeling” that Araújo could score
Of course, Lewandowski is currently injured and there weren’t many other options available to the Barça coach. Still, finishing the game with a centre-back up front was a curious choice, one which Flick explained afterwards.
In the post-match press conference, the German tactician said: “Ronald is also really good in training in front of the opponent’s goal. It was a feeling that maybe he could change this match. Before we made this change, I spoke with him. I asked ‘Do you think you can play this position?’ and he said ‘Yes, I can play’. And I’m really happy for him because he always plays with his whole heart for this club and this team. It’s amazing.”
The player was also confident that it would work out if he entered the game and played up front. As Araújo put it in a post-match interview: “When the coach asked me about it, I didn’t hesitate. When I got to the bench, I said that if I went on I’d score a goal.”
Now, Araújo and his teammates will look ahead to their Champions League clash with Olympiacos and then ELCLASICO against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu next Sunday. The Uruguayan has often been a key player in matches against Los Blancos, often moving out of position to play at right-back and contain Vinícius. Perhaps now he’ll be considered an option in the attack, as Barça look to storm the Bernabéu once again and achieve a victory that would put them top of the table.
