Araujo's Red Card Rewrites Barça-Chelsea Clash

Match drama as Araujo's red card reshapes the night

In a UEFA Champions League group-stage showdown, Uruguayan defender and Barcelona captain Ronald Araújo found himself at the center of controversy, receiving a second yellow and a red card for a rough challenge on Marc Cucurella in the 43rd minute.

Earlier, Araújo had earned a first yellow in the 31st minute for жалting a referee decision regarding a teammate, Lamine Yamal.

The first half ended with Chelsea ahead 1-0 thanks to Jules Koundé's own goal, a misfortune that crowned the Blues’ lead.

Chelsea started with a lineup featuring Sanchez in goal, Cucurella, Chalobah, Fofana, Gusto, Caicedo, James, Enzo, Garnacho, Estêvão, and Neto at the back.

Barcelona’s XI included familiar names such as Eric García, Alejandro Balde, and a forward line featuring Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong, and Lamine Yamal, with Lewandowski leading the line.

Post-match, coach Hansi Flick of Barcelona praised Chelsea as one of the best teams in the world, stressing that adapting to opponents is essential and that no game ever follows a single script.

Flick added that Chelsea’s strength lies in their youth and excellent coaching; witnessing their modern approach is inspirational, yet for Barcelona, it’s a big test to translate belief into results.

On Lewandowski, Flick noted that the striker has hit good form after a slower October start, emphasizing the importance of a proven goalscorer to Barcelona’s push for performance and consistency.

Turning to Chelsea’s perspective, Enzo Maresca spoke about the similarities in style with other top teams and how Pep Guardiola’s philosophy has influenced many coaches, including those who have drawn inspiration from Barça’s approach.

Palmer's absence

Maresca confirmed Kal Palmer was close to returning but would miss the Barcelona clash and the Arsenal fixture, having suffered a thigh injury in August and an unfortunate home incident that delayed his comeback.

Palmer (23) also endured a toe fracture after colliding with a door, and Maresca explained that Palmer would wear a protective boot and would return when fit, likely not in the two upcoming matches but progressing well nonetheless.

Looking ahead, Chelsea have big fixtures against Leeds, Bournemouth, and Atalanta, with Barcelona looming again and Arsenal on the horizon. Maresca stressed the need to treat each match on its own and secure three points whenever possible.

Enzo Maresca added: “Barcelona’s attacking power is real; Lewandowski has proven his quality across his career, and we must defend as a unit while staying aggressive in our approach.”

He also named several standout Barcelona players, including Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, and Frenkie de Jong, as key threats to Chelsea’s hopes in the tie.

The Blues’ fate and officiating

UEFA announced that Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic would take charge of the Chelsea–Barcelona fixture. Vincic, 45, is among Europe’s most experienced referees, having overseen multiple Barcelona and Chelsea games with mixed results and a notable semifinal arc in recent European campaigns.

Barça and Chelsea sit level on points in the group with seven apiece after four games, reflecting a tightly contested pool. Barcelona beat Newcastle and Olympiacos while losing to PSG and drawing with Club Brugge. Chelsea beat Benfica and Ajax, but lost to Bayern Munich and drew with Karabakh.