The day after reclaiming the La Liga title, Ronald Araújo spoke of new hope amidst a crowd of thousands of supporters.
It’s been a decade since Barcelona last lifted the Champions League trophy. This season, the team showed great promise but heartbreak came in a thrilling semi-final battle where their dreams were shattered. Still, Araújo is not discouraged. Under coach Hansie Flick’s guidance, the team has played dominant football match after match, signaling a new era. Araújo hopes this will soon end their long drought.
After a disappointing last season, Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta made a dramatic decision, firing then-coach Xavi Hernandez and appointing Flick. The German coach’s start was solid, but towards the end of the year, the team lost momentum and fell well behind Real Madrid in La Liga.
However, the new year brought a complete turnaround. Barcelona went unbeaten, closed the gap in the table, and reclaimed the league title. After winning the Spanish Super Cup in January, they also lifted the Copa del Rey last month by defeating Real Madrid.
In a season where they not only defeated their archrivals four times but also built an impressive run in the Champions League, Barcelona appeared strong. In the semi-final first leg against Inter Milan, they made a comeback to draw 3-3. In the return leg, despite trailing by two goals in the first half, they fought back and nearly secured victory. But a late goal in added time and another in extra time sealed a 4-3 defeat and their exit.
The day after securing the La Liga trophy, Barcelona’s players paraded in front of thousands of fans. It was there that defender Araújo expressed fresh dreams amid the team’s recent successes.
“I’m very happy, it’s what we deserve. This team and these people deserve it. At the start of the season, no one bet on us, but here we are with three trophies.”
“People are excited about this team because it’s full of incredible, promising players. We didn’t win the Champions League this time, but we will.”
Barcelona last won Europe’s biggest prize in the 2014-15 season, under Luis Enrique’s coaching, when they completed a historic treble.
