‘I knew something was wrong’ – Ronald Araujo opens up on his mental health issues at Barcelona after red card at Chelsea

Ronald Araujo has revealed that the red card he received in Barcelona’s Champions League defeat at Chelsea proved to be the moment he accepted he needed professional help for a mental-health struggle that had been building for almost 18 months.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, the 25-year-old centre-back said the dismissal at Stamford Bridge triggered an emotional collapse that forced him to confront anxiety that had gradually deepened into depression.

“In the moment, with the adrenaline rush, you just go for it. You feel sad, but then, when the game is over, it all comes crashing down on you,” Araujo explained. “I already felt like I wasn’t okay, that’s the truth, but out of habit you try to keep going, and sometimes you need help.”

Barcelona granted the Uruguayan a leave of absence shortly after the tie, and Araujo travelled to Israel seeking spiritual guidance while working with psychologists and his family. “I’d been dealing with anxiety for a year and a half that turned into depression, and I was playing like that. That doesn’t help, because on the field you don’t really feel like yourself.”

The defender, who has since returned to first-team action and scored his first post-hiatus goal in the Copa del Rey victory over Albacete, believes the break has transformed his outlook. “I feel different and I’m happy about it, because I’m more at ease, happier. I can enjoy what I love to do, which is playing football, and that helps a lot.”

Araujo is now back in Hansi Flick’s plans and has re-established himself as a key component of the Barcelona back line, insisting the experience has given him a fresh perspective on life and the sport. “Today I feel like a completely different person,” he said.