Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona: Blaugrana boss Hansi Flick addresses the moment "everything changed" in Stamford Bridge mauling

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has said that Ronald Araujo's red card played a leading role in his side suffering a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League.

Araujo picked up a second yellow card in the latter stages of the first period on Wednesday night following a rash challenge on Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.

At the time, Chelsea were 1-0 up, and the Blues then went on to score twice more in the second period to secure a huge victory over the La Liga champions.

Flick has insisted that he was pleased with his side's overall performance in London despite the disappointment of the result.

"With the red card, everything changed. So it wasn’t easy to face this great team and come back in the match while we were down a player. For me, we have to accept this defeat, but I’m also looking with great optimism toward the upcoming matches," Flick told reporters.

4' Chelsea goal disallowed for handball
24' Chelsea goal disallowed for offside
27' Jules Koundé own goal
44' Ronald Araújo is sent off

What a first half at Stamford Bridge ? pic.twitter.com/Gi02RWaup9

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 25, 2025

Flick: 'Araujo red card changed the match'

"I didn’t see what happened with the first card. So I have to talk to him, and I also have to watch the match videos again and analyse them.

“The second card happens sometimes, but perhaps he could have avoided intervening like that, or maybe guided him more on what he can do. But in the end, this happens in football. It wasn’t the right time, nor the right match, but that’s how it went.

“I don’t know exactly the number of minutes, but I think we played a lot of minutes while missing a player, and Chelsea is a very good team with the ball. So we have to accept this loss, but also think positively.

“And in the end, with one player less, things go like this, but I also think we have the intensity we need today. As for me, I can repeat it again, I’m optimistic about the next match. We’ll see, but I’m really optimistic.

“It’s not easy to play against Chelsea, against a very good team, and you’re down a man."

22 – For the first time since November 2023, when they lost 1-0 to Shakhtar Donetsk, #FCBarcelona failed to score in a #UCL game, bringing an end to their second-best scoring run in the competition (22 goals), after the one they achieved between 2009 and 2012 (29). Accident. pic.twitter.com/4IgzQ6Mfel

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2025

What next for Barcelona?

Barcelona will continue their La Liga campaign with a home game against Alaves on Saturday afternoon, before opening December with a clash against Atletico Madrid.

Flick's side will then head to Real Betis on December 6 ahead of their next Champions League fixture at home to Eintracht Frankfurt three days later.