Araujo's Barcelona boast adds fuel to Atlético fire ahead of Copa clash
Ronald Araujo's comments about Julián Álvarez have ruffled feathers in the Atlético Madrid dressing room before their crucial Copa del Rey semi-final showdown.
Barcelona defender’s remarks about Julián Álvarez have gone down like a lead balloon with Atlético Madrid players ahead of their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.
Adding Fuel to the Fire
Ronald Araujo has cranked up the heat on an already sizzling fixture between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-finals. The Uruguayan defender’s recent interview with Mundo Deportivo has proper wound up the Rojiblancos’ dressing room, and you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll be using it as motivation.
The centre-back was chatting about Atlético’s Argentine forward Julián Álvarez when he decided to drop a right clanger. While praising Álvarez’s abilities, Araujo couldn’t help but have a dig at the striker’s current employers.
What’s All the Fuss About?
Araujo’s controversial comments centered around where he believes top players like Álvarez should be playing:
“The best players should be at the best club, which is us,” he declared, essentially suggesting Barcelona are a cut above Atlético Madrid in the football pecking order.
This has been interpreted at the Metropolitano as a proper lack of respect towards their club. The timing couldn’t be worse either, with Álvarez currently struggling for form and facing criticism from some quarters.
Perfect Motivation
The comments have apparently gone down about as well as a Spurs fan at the Arsenal end. Sources close to the Atlético dressing room suggest Araujo’s words have provided additional motivation for tomorrow’s crucial first leg.
The Rojiblancos will be desperate to avenge last season’s Copa del Rey semi-final elimination at the hands of Barcelona. With Araujo adding this extra spice to proceedings, Diego Simeone won’t need to work too hard on his team talk.
The atmosphere at the Metropolitano was already going to be electric - now it might just be nuclear. Barcelona might have just learned the hard way that poking the Atlético bear before a cup semi-final isn’t the brightest idea in the world.