Barcelona defender overshadows Real Madrid winger in international fixture ahead of El Clasico

The fierce duels between Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. in recent El Clasico matches have proven to be pivotal in determining the outcome.

Both players are regarded as key assets for their respective teams, and their on-field battles have become highly anticipated by fans.

Araujo Outshines Vinicius in International Clash

Last night, Ronald Araujo faced off against Vinicius Jr. once again. However, this time it was in an international fixture between Uruguay and Brazil in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, according to a report by SPORT. In a match that saw Uruguay secure their first victory over Brazil in 22 years, Araujo completely overshadowed his Real Madrid counterpart.

Although Araujo played as a centre-back and Vinicius operated on his usual left flank, their contrasting performances were evident. Araujo delivered a spectacular display, contributing to his team’s 2-0 win, while Vinicius had a forgettable outing.

Araujo dominated the game with the most clearances and headed clearances (4), winning four out of five aerial duels. He also emerged as the player with the second-highest number of individual duels won (6) and committed only one foul. The only negative mark on Araujo’s night was an early yellow card.

In contrast, Vinicius struggled to make an impact against the impenetrable Uruguayan defense and spent a considerable amount of time protesting the referees’ decisions.

Upcoming Hype: El Clasico

In just ten days, fans will witness another intense battle between Ronald Araujo and Vinicius Jr. as Barcelona faces Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the 2023/24 season on October 28 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

In recent encounters between these two teams, Xavi has deployed Araujo as a right-back to neutralize Vinicius’ threat. This tactical approach was evident in the Spanish Super Cup final of the previous season, as well as one Copa del Rey and La Liga fixture. However, with Joao Cancelo now cementing his position as the undisputed starter at right-back, fans are curious to see if Xavi will employ a different strategy for the upcoming match.