Pau Cubarsí says goodbye, Ronald Araújo has won: farewell Barça, he is joining the biggest rival

The unexpected departure of Iñigo Martínez has created an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty in Barça's locker room. Neither Flick, Deco, nor Laporta expected the veteran defender to accept a lucrative offer from Al-Nassr. In fact, his hasty exit left the team with no room to react during the final stretch of the transfer window.

Faced with that void, Hansi Flick was forced to change his plans for the defensive line. The immediate solution has been to bring Ronald Araújo into the starting eleven to partner with Pau Cubarsí. However, judging by the first matches of the season, this decision doesn't seem to be the most appropriate one.

Barça's last-minute attempt didn't work

After Iñigo's departure, Barça tried to move quickly in search of a top-level center-back. Deco put forward high-profile names such as Bastoni and Marc Guéhi. The problem was that both were far too expensive for the club's weakened finances.

With no alternatives available, the club's leadership also set out to explore the Ibrahima Konaté option. The Liverpool center-back's contract ends in 2026, and it was thought that the English club might accept his departure for a symbolic fee. However, the reality is that the French defender's future is already set: he will play for Real Madrid.

Despite Barça's interest, Konaté immediately rejected any proposal coming from Camp Nou. With this move, Los Blancos secure a strategic reinforcement for their defense, while also weakening their main rival.

Ibrahima Konaté does Ronald Araújo a favor

The news hit the club's board like a bucket of cold water. Flick has already accepted that he will have to keep trusting Ronald Araújoas Pau Cubarsí's partner. For now, there is neither the financial margin nor the time to reverse this situation.

In this scenario, Ronald Araújo becomes an essential piece in Barça's defense. His experience and leadership will be key to guiding Pau Cubarsí, who, despite his youth, has shown character and personality. The duo combines experience with potential, but also raises doubts against top-level opponents.

The upcoming matches will serve to measure the solidity of the new defensive axis. If the pair do not perform, Flick could be forced to request an urgent reinforcement in the winter transfer window. For now, the coach trusts that Ronald Araújo's competitiveness and Pau Cubarsí's talent will keep things balanced.