Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has perhaps hinted that the comments of Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique might have impacted Ronald Araujo’s mental health. The Uruguayan defender recently returned from a leave of absence in order to recover from depression.

Araujo opened up about his mental health battle on Tuesday during an interview, stating that he had been suffering from anxiety for around a year and a half before he took his leave of absence, when his situation got worse. Flick was asked about Araujo’s battle, and gave the following answer.

“The situation with Ronald we know. When he opened this time about himself, everyone from the club, we know we have to support him. We give everything we can at that point. He was really strong, to open up about this, you have to be really strong. We know football is all about being strong, going there, mentality, going out to win.”

🚨 Hansi Flick: "Raphinha has to go step by step, we have to help him. Give everything in the matches at maximum intensity. We all need Pedri, Gavi, and Rashford." 🗣️

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 11, 2026

“One day, I will speak also about this thing. When you see, one-and-a-half years, and you follow when it starts, it’s all about us, who are responsible for the players. We have to take care of them. We also have to take care, the opposition coaches, also. We have to take care of all the players. Think, what is the end result when I say this, I think it was, I remember that, it was not the right thing to do that.”

“Especially as a coach, you have to take more responsibility, for every player, not just your own. And think about not only, what is good for you. I hope that I explained it well.”

What did Luis Enrique say about Ronald Araujo?

Araujo was heavily criticised after being sent off against Paris Saint-Germain during a Champions League tie of May 2024, in which his early red card contributed to a 4-1 defeat to the French giants. That occurred 19 months before Araujo’s leave of absence, and following the game, veteran Ilkay Gundogan was highly critical of Araujo’s decision-making.

Dating back to October of 2024, which is 14 months before Araujo takes his leave of absence, a documentary called ‘No teneis ni **** idea’ [You don’t have a ****ing clue], PSG manager Luis Enrique made headlines for his own criticism of Araujo. He was seen telling his players during a team talk, but in front of the cameras, to allow the Uruguayan to have the ball in order to force him into a mistake.

“Araujo is a top player, but he’s the one who has the most problems with playing the ball out from the back- Every time he receives the ball, we block a passing lane and we’re in,” the ex-Barcelona manager explained, as quoted by La Vanguardia.