'I Was Toying With Depression': Barca's Araujo Breaks Silence, Opens Up On Mental Health Battle

Last Updated:February 11, 2026, 13:34 IST

Ronald Araujo reveals battling anxiety and depression before his Chelsea red card, and seeking help after taking temporary leave from Barcelona.

Ronald Araujo has spoken candidly about the mental health struggles that forced him to step away from football earlier this season — revealing he had been battling anxiety and depression long before his red card at Chelsea.

The Barcelona defender was sent off in the 3-0 Champions League defeat at Stamford Bridge on November 25, a moment he now describes as a breaking point.

“In the moment, with the adrenaline rush, you just go for it," Araujo told Mundo Deportivo. “You feel sad, but then, when the game is over, it all comes crashing down on you."

That night, he realised he couldn’t keep pushing through.

“I already felt like I wasn’t okay, that’s the truth, but out of habit you try to keep going, and sometimes you need help."

The 26-year-old revealed he had been struggling for far longer than most realised.

“I’d been dealing with anxiety for a year and a half that turned into depression, and I was playing like that. That doesn’t help, because on the field you don’t really feel like yourself."

Araujo said he knew something was wrong because he wasn’t performing at the level he believed he could.

“You know your worth, and what you can contribute in the field, and when I wasn’t feeling well, I knew something was wrong. That day, I realized that it was it, that I needed to talk to professionals and the club so they could help me."

Barcelona granted him an indefinite leave of absence in early December. During that time, Araujo sought professional support, leaned on his family and even travelled to Israel for spiritual guidance.

“The time I took off was for a reason," he said. “I was able to work through it with professionals, with my family, and spiritually, which is what I needed."

Now back in the squad and scoring in the Copa del Rey win over Albacete, Araujo says he feels transformed.

“I feel different, and I’m happy about it. I’m more at ease, happier. Today I feel like a completely different person."

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