Araujo talks about battle with Argentina - Source: Getty
Araujo talks about battle with Argentina - Source: Getty
Ronald Araujo has warned Argentina that Uruguay intend to make the most of Lionel Messi’s absence when the two sides meet in a friendly at La Bombonera on Friday.
It will be Argentina’s first match since Lionel Messi retired from international football, ending a two-decade career with the national team that finished with a farewell friendly against Benin at the Monumental on October 6.
Araujo, who is on loan at Liverpool from Barcelona and was a teammate of Lionel Messi’s at Camp Nou, sees an opening for Uruguay in the upcoming contest.
Speaking to reporters at Montevideo’s Carrasco airport after joining up with the squad, he said:
"In the end, they have lost the best player in the world, and we’re going to take advantage of that."
He was quick to add, however, that Argentina remain a force even without Lionel Messi, who led them to the 2022 World Cup.
Araujo added:
"They have great players, very talented young players, and they are a force to be reckoned with."
Araujo expects a difficult night regardless of the occasion, and Uruguay are using this window to keep building under new coach Diego Forlán after their group-stage exit at the 2026 World Cup.
"All matches against Argentina are difficult, but we’re going to showcase our style of play and keep growing as a national team."
The last time these teams met at La Bombonera, in November 2023, Uruguay won 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying clash with goals from Araujo and Darwin Núñez.
Notably, he has already been in touch with a Liverpool teammate who will be on the opposite side on Friday. Araujo confirmed he and Alexis Mac Allister had swapped a little banter about the game, saying:
"I spoke with him, and we teased each other a little."
Argentina face Costa Rica after the game against Uruguay.
Who fills the Lionel Messi void for Argentina?
Lionel Scaloni’s first squad of the post-Messi era, named on November 3, includes 28 players.
Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino, 21, earned a first senior call-up, while Gonzalo Montiel and Mariano Troilo returned to the fold.
Cristian Romero and Lautaro Martínez are out injured, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were left out. Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina are still suspended.
Emiliano Martínez was included despite recent jaw surgery, with three more goalkeepers named as cover. Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández are among the other established names in the group.
Uruguay’s squad includes Federico Valverde, back after missing the October window, though his availability for Friday is unconfirmed.