Before the match against Atlético Madrid, the focus has been on the right-back, where both Araújo, Koundé and Cancelo can play. Although Araújo stated the other day that he would prefer to play centrally, Xavi stated that in the end it is he who decides.
Despite the fact that Xavi brought in João Cancelo in order to cover the right-back position, in several matches the head coach has used the Portuguese on the left side of the defence, which has meant that Ronald Araújo and Jules Koundé have had to move out on the right wing in turn, and precisely that disposition has been in focus before the match against Atlético Madrid.
It was in an interview with BeIN Sports that Ronald Araújo put further focus on the situation when he was quoted as saying the following. “If I have to tell the truth, I don’t like playing at right-back and I’d rather just play in central defence”.
It was precisely this statement that Xavi was asked to address at the press conference before the match against Atlético Madrid, and here the head coach was very clear in his spitting.
“Their national coaches are going to have a problem, because with both of them they also play right-back”, Xavi began, referring to the fact that Didier Deschamps regularly uses Koundé at right-back for the French national team, just as Ronald Araújo also covered in the last national team meeting with Uruguay the position on the right in defence.
“With us, they are centre-backs, although they can also cover the right-back. There is no need to discuss it and I have spoken to both of them about them adapting to the team. Koundé and Araújo play where I decide”, it came unequivocally from the Catalan head coach.
Of the 54 matches that Jules Koundé has played for Barca, 21 of them have been as right back, while Ronald Araújo has played 20 matches out of 125 for Barca’s first team on the right side of the defence.
