Ronald Araujo records first assist for Liverpool on UCL debut

Ronald Araujo needed exactly one Champions League appearance in a Liverpool shirt to get on the scoresheet. Well, the assist sheet. The 27-year-old Uruguayan centre-back provided his first assist for the club during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Atlético Madrid on 9 September, capping off what has been a quietly impressive start to his Anfield career. From Barcelona to Anfield Araujo completed his season-long loan move from Barcelona to Liverpool on 10 August, with the deal including an option to purchase for around €55 million, roughly £47 million or $63 million. The move was designed to shore up Liverpool’s backline following the departure of Ibrahima Konaté. His pre-season debut came as a substitute against Como on 16 August. A week later, on 23 August, he stepped into the Premier League for the first time, coming off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Newcastle. The real statement came on 4 September, when manager Andoni Iraola handed Araujo his first start in the league against Ipswich Town. He won 9 out of 10 duels on the day and swept up every single one of his 6 aerial battles. Then came the Champions League. Against Atlético Madrid, Araujo not only held his own at the back but...