Ronald Araújo confirms apology from Barcelona teammate Gündoğan | OneFootball

Barcelona star Ronald Araújo has confirmed that he was the recipient of an apology on the part of teammate İlkay Gündoğan late last week.

As much, of course, comes on the back of the fallout between the pair in the aftermath of Barcelona’s Champions League elimination.

After Araújo’s early dismissal proved itself hugely costly en route to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in Catalunya’s capital, Gündoğan did not hesitate in criticising the stopper post-match:

“In these kind of crucial moments, you need to be sure to get the ball and if you can’t get it — again, I’m not sure if he got the ball or not — you have to stay away.

“I (would) prefer to concede the goal there or give the striker a one-on-one: give him the opportunity, let our goalkeeper save us or even concede a goal, because to be one man down with a red card so early in the game, it kills you.”

Drawn on the comments during a public appearance of his own on Thursday, Araújo appeared less than impressed, in responding:

“I’d rather keep for myself what I really think. I have my own codes and values that I think you need to respect.”

The likes of Xavi and Deco had since moved to assure that the matter had been dealt with internally, with any bad blood between the Blaugrana pair long forgotten.

Nevertheless, though, Ronald Araújo was again drawn on the topic by the media on Sunday night.

Speaking on the back of his side’s defeat at the hands of arch rivals Real Madrid, the Uruguayan went on to confirm that Gündogan did in fact apologise for his comments:

“I spoke to Gündogan and he apologized to me.”

Conor Laird | GSFN