Mexican player Julián Araujo made his debut with FC Barcelona in a match in which his team won 2-0 against Vissel Kobe and in which he played all 90 minutes. The match was friendly and tribute to multi-time champion Andrés Iniesta, who bid farewell to the Japanese side after five years.
The 21-year-old Mexico international was part of the Culé squad that made the trip to Japan to face the local team in a game representing Iniesta’s farewell. The victory went to the Blaugrana team with goals by Ivorian Franck Kessié and Spaniard Eric García, and both scored in the first half.
Araujo started as a starter in the defense on the right flank, but during the game, he moved to the center and even played as the last man at the back. Although not spectacular, his game was solid with short touches and without taking too many risks. Defensively he was secure, but not when he had to go forward.
The Mexican was signed in the last winter market (February). Still, due to lousy coordination in the process, he could not be registered with the first team of Barcelona, so he kept training with Barça Atlètic, a subsidiary team of the institution commanded by another Mexican: Rafael Márquez.
Since then, Araujo has been awaiting the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision since the impediment to play was due to a technological error. Ultimately, the player had to wait around five months to wear the Culé shirt in his first lineup, which he shared with stars such as Robert Lewandowski, Ansu Fati, Frenkie de Jong, and Gavi.
Curiously, the end of the 2022-23 season represented the beginning of the professional career at the Catalan club for the Aztec player (who also has U.S. nationality), who had previously belonged to the institution as he trained at the Barca Academy before leaving for Los Angeles Galaxy in the United States.
