Five Starts Mark Ronald Araújo’s Liverpool Revival
Ronald Araújo spent his final months at FC Barcelona fighting for minutes he could no longer take for granted, squeezed out by competition across the back line. Five consecutive starts into his Liverpool loan, that picture has changed considerably, with the Uruguayan settling into a run at right-back that has restored both his playing time and his standing within a first-team squad.
As Marca has reported, Araújo is enjoying what the outlet describes as a very sweet moment on Merseyside, having recovered the prominence and minutes that had eluded him at Barcelona. The Spanish outlet notes that Liverpool have kept clean sheets in their last three regular league matches with Araújo occupying the right-back slot, a defensive stretch that has coincided with his run in the side.
Liverpool have played seven matches so far this season, and Araújo has started five of them after appearing from the bench in the opening two fixtures. His run began against Ipswich Town, where he was deployed at right-back, a role he has since held down. He also lined up there in Liverpool’s Champions League opener against Atlético Madrid, supplying a backheel assist for Szoboszlai and being named the match’s MVP. He played 72 minutes at right-back against Fulham, completed the full 90 in the EFL Cup victory over Tottenham on September 15, and again featured at right-back against Bournemouth before the international break, all detailed in his performances at right-back since arriving in England.
The position itself is not unfamiliar territory. At Barcelona, Araújo had occasionally filled in at right-back, notably in Clásicos against Real Madrid, where his pace and physicality were used to contain Vinícius. But with Koundé established on that side and competition at centre-back intense, Araújo’s role became increasingly secondary last season, one of the reasons behind his search for regular playing time that led to the move to Anfield, agreed alongside a €55 million purchase option.
His versatility between centre-back and right-back remains the quality Liverpool value most, and it also shapes how Barcelona’s own full-back picture might evolve, a topic that runs alongside ongoing questions over Barcelona’s full-back options. For now, the challenge for Araújo is simply to sustain this run and confirm he can be a consistent contributor for Liverpool, with any decision on making the loan permanent still some way off.
