During Arsenal’s win over Sporting CP on Tuesday, Maximiliano Araujo become the first defender this decade to commit seven or more fouls without being booked.
Maxi Araujo put in a combative performance for Sporting CP against Arsenal on Tuesday night, taking part in 22 individual duels, far more than any other player on the pitch.
Some of those duels went well, with Araujo making seven tackles across the 90 minutes. But he ultimately lost over half of his duels and made a game-high seven fouls. WhoScored report that Araujo set a new record for the most fouls of any player in a Champions League game this season.
According to another stat from Sofascore, Araujo became the first defender in nine seasons to commit seven or more fouls without receiving a yellow card, making him the first to do it in the 2020s.
The physical approach was clearly a key factor in Araujo’s attempts to keep Noni Madueke and Max Dowman quiet. But unlike the Sporting defender, both Arsenal right-wingers won more than half of their duels on the night.
Araujo’s actions were certainly nothing out of character, as he already has 12 yellow cards and a red for the 2025/26 campaign so far.
He’s served yellow-card suspensions in the Champions League last-16 first leg and a league game, as well as a red-card suspension in the Portuguese cup.
The Gunners should be prepared for more of the same when Sporting visit the Emirates Stadium next Wednesday.