Defender Ronald Araujo came off the bench to score a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Barcelona edged past Girona 2-1 to move top of La Liga.
Introduced with eight minutes remaining and deployed up front, the Uruguayan centre-back turned home Frenkie de Jong’s cross in the 92nd minute to end Barca’s two-game losing streak and ignite jubilant celebrations at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Pedri had given the hosts a deserved lead midway through the first half, his low drive from the edge of the area ricocheting in off the post.
However, Girona hit back against the run of play when Axel Witsel rose highest to head home from a corner.
Barcelona pushed for a winner and created several opportunities, with Marcus Rashford striking the crossbar from a free-kick and later missing a close-range chance to restore the lead.
Tensions boiled over late on, with manager Hansi Flick shown a red card after protesting the fourth official’s decision to allow only four minutes of stoppage time.
Flick will now be suspended for Barcelona’s next league match — a high-stakes El Clásico against Real Madrid on 26 October at 15:15 GMT.
