Since his return, he has been performing

Barcelona star Joan Garcia heaped praise on Ronald Araujo following their 2-1 win over Albacete in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. The Uruguayan defender scored to help his side secure the win away on Tuesday, February 3.

The Blaugrana faced Segunda Division side Albacete on Tuesday, who eliminated Real Madrid in the Round of 16, beating them 3-2. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring for Barca in the 39th minute, before Araujo doubled it in the 56th minute. Javi Moreno scored one for the hosts in the 87th minute, but they couldn’t find the equalizer.

After the game, Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia praised Ronald Araujo, saying (h/t Barca Times):

“We are very happy for Araujo. Since his return, he has been performing very well and he has great desire. We wanted him to start as a regular and to deliver a big game, he did that and capped it off with a goal.”

Araujo has dealt with numerous injury issues in recent seasons and has made some costly errors, leading to immense criticism. He then took a break earlier this season and returned last month.

The Uruguay international has made 20 appearances for Barcelona across competitions this season and also scored three goals.

Hansi Flick opens up about Ronald Araujo and Barcelona’s performance against Albacete

Ronald Araujo made his first start for Barcelona since November against Albacete on Tuesday. He played 78 minutes and scored a crucial goal. He also made seven clearances and three recoveries, and won 4/6 duels (via SofaScore).

After the game, Hansi Flick said about the centre-back (h/t Barca Blaugranes):

“I’m very happy for Araujo, it’s great that he scored. The goal will help him gain more confidence. It’s what we need and what he needs. We support him and help him.”

Flick also shared his thoughts on his side’s performance on the night, saying:

“This match wasn’t easy at all, especially in the final minutes. We made it difficult for ourselves. Once again, we missed a huge number of chances. We’ve been missing a lot of opportunities in the last few matches and we have to improve.”

Barcelona had 72% possession against Albacete and attempted 16 shots, with six being on target. The hosts, on the other hand, had six attempts, with three being on target. Barca will know their semi-final opponents after the draw on February 6.

Meanwhile, they will return to LaLiga action on Saturday, February 7, hosting Mallorca at Spotify Camp Nou.