The pivotal defender of Barcelona had strained relations with Xavi. He contemplated leaving the club

One of Barcelona's key defenders, Ronald Araújo, had poor relations with former head coach Xavi Hernandez.

According to Marca, the defender was unhappy with the coach's public criticism of him in front of the entire team. Araújo felt defenseless against the club and Xavi, especially after receiving a red card in a Champions League match against PSG. He seriously considered leaving the club, and contract negotiations were at a standstill.

Currently, Araújo is interested in extending his contract with Barcelona following the arrival of Hansi Flick. However, he has not yet made a final decision. The player wants to be part of a team that competes for titles, and given Barcelona's financial situation, it seems unlikely they will be able to strengthen the squad.

Araújo is willing to wait and see how the situation develops in the coming weeks.

Additionally, Barcelona had been looking to sign Bayern Munich's key midfielder, Joshua Kimmich, whom incoming coach Hansi Flick wanted in his team. However, all contacts between the parties have currently reached an impasse.