Gundogan clarifies his comments on Araujo after Barcelona’s UCL exit

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has clarified his remarks following the team’s exit from the UEFA Champions League, saying that his comments were not aimed specifically at Ronald Araujo, a fellow teammate.

The context of Gundogan’s remarks stemmed from Barcelona’s rollercoaster ride in the Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain. 

After securing a thrilling 3-2 victory in the first leg, Barcelona faced a devastating 4-1 defeat in the second leg. The turning point came with Araujo’s controversial sending-off from the match before the 30-minute mark. 

In response to this pivotal moment, Gundogan made a statement that stirred significant controversy. 

“This is the Champions League. No matter the opponent, it’s impossible to come back if one of your players is sent off. We are very disappointed. We felt we had control of the game before the red card,” said Gundogan after the match.

“Going a man down because of the red so early in the game kills you,” he added.

Gundogan’s clarification

Ilkay Gundogan says he did not intend to put Araujo under the bus. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Now, Araujo did respond to the midfielder’s assessment, albeit in a restrained manner. However, Gundogan’s comments continued to attract attention. 

In a recent interview, he clarified that his critique was not targeted at any individual player. Instead, he acknowledged that he was critical of the team as a whole and admitted to his own mistakes during the match.

“I talked about us as a team and not just Ronald,” said the midfielder (h/t Actualite Barça).

“If you look at the whole interview. I make mistakes myself and I admit it. If you are not prepared to do that, you cannot be successful,” he added.

Gundogan’s intention seems to be to diffuse any tension or misinterpretation surrounding his earlier remarks. 

By emphasizing that his criticism was directed at the team collectively and acknowledging his own errors, he aims to foster unity and accountability within the Barcelona squad.