Araujo and Cubarsi react after Barcelona 1-1 Real Betis – ‘Match was boring for the fans’

Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Real Betis has left more questions than answers, especially with how the team let a golden opportunity slip to close the gap in the title race. 

Despite gaining one point, several players made it clear that the result did not meet their expectations, and the overall feeling within the dressing room was one of disappointment.

Ronald Araujo, never one to hide his emotions, admitted that the team were left frustrated after failing to secure three points. The Uruguayan centre-back described the outcome as bitter, especially considering the circumstances. 

“It’s a bitter taste. We wanted the three points at home, but all in all, we’re still picking up points, which is the important thing. Now it’s time to keep going because we’re four points behind,” he began saying. 

The defender also highlighted the team’s mentality, insisting that their approach is to take the season one match at a time. 

“We have a way of looking at this league game by game and don’t usually look at our opponents. We focus on ourselves and wanted to win. But when you can’t win, it’s better not to lose.” 

He also shed light on the final moment of the match when Barcelona were denied a corner. 

“Of course, in the end, these are just minor details, and for me, it was a clear corner. They gave us short notice, stopped the game, and made substitutions. We always have to fight against everything,” he added.

Cubarsi calls for more determination

Ronald Araujo was not happy with result. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

While Araujo showed measured criticism, young centre-back Pau Cubarsi didn’t hold back. The 18-year-old was unusually harsh in his assessment, pointing out the team’s poor first-half display. 

“We tried to give it our all in the second half. In the first, we didn’t come out the way we should have. The pace of the game was slow, and I’ll tell you, it was even boring for the fans,” he said.

Cubarsi went on to call the match a turning point in their season. According to him, the team lacked the energy and hunger to see out the game with full conviction. 

“Today is a turning point. We’ve been doing things well these past few days, but today we lacked determination and even more desire to win. It was clear on the pitch that we didn’t give 100%, and you can’t win like that.”

Despite the tight fixture schedule and physical fatigue, the dressing room did not look to use it as an excuse. The players, including Cubarsi, acknowledged the heavy workload but emphasised that it is part of being at a club like Barcelona. 

“We do have to put in a little effort. We knew we were coming into the match with a heavy load and few days’ rest, but that’s no excuse if we want to win as many titles as possible because we’re Barça,” he explained.

Source: Mundo Deportivo