SPANISH SUPER CUP
How many games will Ronald Araújo be suspended for after his red card against Real Madrid?
The Barcelona defender received two yellow cards for fouling Vinícius Júnior as the Catalans were comfortably beaten in the 2024 Spanish Super Cup final.
The 2024 Spanish Super Cup final was 90 minutes (plus injury time) to forget for Barcelona as they were taken apart by El Clásico rivals Real Madrid in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Xavi Hernández’s side were opened up on a number of occasions in the first half and found themselves down to two Vinícius Júnior goals inside the opening 10 minutes. Although Barça briefly threatened a fightback through Robert Lewandowski’s goal, the Brazilian winger completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot and was involved as Ronald Araújo was shown a red card with 20 minutes left to go, by which points the Catalans had fallen 4-1 behind.
Why was Araújo sent off against Real Madrid?
Araújo has had some joy in shackling Vinícius in past meetings but the same could not be said on Sunday, as the Madrid attacker helped himself to a first-half treble. While Carlo Ancelotti’s side were somewhat less rampant in the second period, Barça’s hopes of mounting a fightback were all but ended by Rodrygo’s strike just after the hour mark, which was soon followed by Araújo’s sending off.
The Uruguayan defender had already been yellow-carded for pulling Vinícius back in the box, an incident which led to Los Merengues going 3-1 ahead. Later in the game, the two players challenged for a loose ball just inside the Madrid half, with the winger just getting a toe to it to take it away from Araújo, who attempted to kick the ball forcefully but ended up connecting with his opponent, leading to a second yellow card.
How many games will Araújo miss? Which ones?
The 24-year-old will now be handed a one-match suspension, which he will serve in Barcelona’s next game away to Unionistas de Salamanca in the Copa del Rey, scheduled for this coming Thursday (18 January, kick-off at 1:30 p.m. ET). Araújo will therefore be available again when La Blaugrana return to LaLiga duty away to Real Betis next Sunday (21 January).
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