Still reeling from their Champions League elimination, Barcelona must now turn their full attention to Sundayβs crucial clash with Real Madrid. El ClΓ‘sico has become a pivotal fixture that could significantly influence the outcome of the La Liga title race.
A win would push Barcelona closer to clinching the championship, leaving them needing just two more points from their final three games. Even a draw would keep their hopes alive, requiring only five points from the remaining nine. A defeat, however, would blow the title race wide open.
In a rare and striking statement, Barcelona icon AndrΓ©s Iniesta publicly warned coach Hansi Flick not to repeat what he called a βdisastrous errorβ made in the loss to Inter Milan β specifically, the decision to start Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo.
Known for his level-headed approach, Iniesta was unusually firm in his comments, stating, βJust the idea of Araujo playing in El ClΓ‘sico brings Madrid closer to winning the title and endangers Barcelonaβs entire season.β He went further, suggesting not just dropping Araujo for the match, but removing him from the starting XI entirely going forward.
Iniestaβs remarks come at a tense moment as BarΓ§a gears up for a potentially title-deciding showdown. Araujo has faced heavy criticism following his poor showing against Inter, which played a major role in the teamβs European exit and damaged his standing with fans and teammates alike.
The legendβs stern message reflects a deep loss of faith in Araujo and signals that his continued presence in the squad could put the rest of the season in jeopardy.