Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has heaped praise on defender Ronald Araujo following the club’s 2-1 comeback victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
The Reds began their European campaign on a winning note at Anfield, overcoming Diego Simeone’s side in a hard-fought contest on Wednesday evening.
Marcos Llorente, scoring his fifth Anfield goal, put Atletico ahead before Liverpool responded with two goals to claim all three points in their opening league phase fixture.
Dominik Szoboszlai levelled matters before the interval, and Alexis Mac Allister then struck early in the second half to complete the comeback and seal the win.
On-loan Barcelona defender Araujo started at right-back and delivered an all-round impressive performance, capping his display with a key assist for Szoboszlai’s equaliser.
Iraola was effusive in his praise for the 27-year-old Uruguayan during his post-match press conference, making clear just how satisfied he has been with the player’s contributions.
He said via the club’s official website: “I think he’s been very, very good. The other day [against Ipswich Town] and he has been, I would say, even better today. I think he’s defending really well his side, but also sometimes because he’s a centre-back we underrate his offensive side.”
Iraola added: “Today he gives a great assist to Dom Szoboszlai. He’s made a couple of very good serves from his position and I’m very happy with him. Very happy. He’s come with the willingness to show that he belongs to this level, and I hope we can keep him there because he’s in a lovely place.”
Araujo registered 62 touches on the night and completed 85 percent of his passes, finishing 33 from 39 attempted, as he demonstrated his quality in an unfamiliar position.
There were initial question marks surrounding the loan signing from Barcelona, given Araujo’s injury history and his difficulties in commanding a regular starting berth for his parent club last season.
He was originally expected to serve as backup to Jeremy Jacquet for the right centre-back role, but his performances have elevated him to a starting position at right-back ahead of Jeremie Frimpong.
Frimpong has struggled to make an impact since his arrival, allowing Araujo to firmly establish himself as Iraola’s preferred option on the right side of the defence.
The strong showing against Atletico reinforces the case that Araujo has secured his place in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future, with the pressure now on him to sustain this level consistently.
Liverpool return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host Fulham at Anfield, looking to build on the momentum generated by their European victory.