In the opening of the 2025/2026 season of La Liga, Barcelona achieved an important victory with a score of 3-0 against Mallorca, with the Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo shining as the team's captain, replacing Ter Stegen, who was chosen by coach Hans Flick to participate in central defense alongside Pau Koubarsi.

The match showcased Araujo's defensive strengths in individual confrontations and covering the opponent, as he excelled in aerial duels and physical clashes. However, he struggled with passing and building play under Mallorca's pressure, which aimed to prevent him from breaking through defensive lines and advancing with the ball.

Match statistics showed that Araujo completed 81% of his passes, but lost control of the ball on 9 occasions, highlighting the need to develop his possession and passing skills. Flick's game plan relied on supporting Araujo with triangular passing alongside his defensive teammates and Pedri and De Jong in midfield to provide safer play options.

Araujo remains one of the top defenders in the world in terms of physical strength and direct confrontations, but his biggest challenge this season is to enhance his performance in attack buildup and positioning as Barcelona's defensive line rises, to become a central defender the team can rely on for dominance and ball possession.