FC Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo recently earned promotion to first captain following Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s decision to leave on loan for Girona. It appears to have boosted his confidence.
While the merit of handing the armband to a struggling player can be questioned, there is no doubt Barcelona are better off with an Araujo who is in the zone and performing at his best.
His first significant minutes after the Chelsea debacle in November came against Slavia Praha in the Champions League and, as quoted by [SPORT](https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/araujo-sigue-dando-pasos-acercandose-125966550), his cameo was impressive and acknowledged by Hansi Flick. The German manager said:
**“It was a great moment—winning that one-on-one in that race, the way he defended, it helped us a lot, and that’s why I went straight to him. We have to go step by step with Araujo. We need him. He’s powerful and fast—qualities we need in a defender.”**
The report also mentions that his team-mates appreciated their captain’s performance on the night. It was the first step on a long road back to his best. He also needs to win back the trust of the fanbase.
Everyone knows how good Araujo can be at his peak. For seasons he was considered a mainstay in Barcelona’s back line, which is one of the main reasons he was given the captaincy.
Araujo needs support, and Hansi Flick clearly still has faith in his abilities. This bodes well for the player and, should he get his act together, there is plenty of hope for the Uruguayan in the near future.