Barcelona clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory over Girona on Saturday, thanks to Ronald Araujo’s stunning stoppage-time goal that sent the champions back to the summit of La Liga.
The Uruguayan defender, deployed as an emergency forward in the dying moments, netted in the 93rd minute to hand Barca a narrow win and a one-point cushion over Real Madrid, who face Getafe on Sunday.
Following back-to-back defeats, Barcelona’s resurgence came by the slimmest of margins. Pedri Gonzalez had earlier given the hosts the lead before Axel Witsel equalised with a spectacular overhead kick that left the Camp Nou crowd stunned.
“Sometimes you have to win games like this—we missed a lot of chances and they did too,” said Fermin Lopez to DAZN. “We fought until the end and we got that second goal… it was a chaotic second half but I think we deserved the win and we got it.”
Barca manager Hansi Flick reintroduced teenage sensation Lamine Yamal into the starting lineup after his recovery from a groin injury that sidelined him during Spain’s World Cup qualifiers. With Robert Lewandowski and other key players unavailable, 17-year-old Toni Fernandez was handed his La Liga debut.
The match opened with a symbolic 15-second standstill by both teams, a gesture linked to the Spanish footballers’ association’s protest against Barcelona’s proposed December fixture in Miami.
Barcelona took the early initiative, with Pedri finishing neatly in the 13th minute after fine interplay between Jules Kounde and Yamal. But Girona—19th on the table and hungry to upset the odds—struck back swiftly through Witsel’s overhead kick in the 20th minute.
Girona continued to threaten, with Wojciech Szczesny forced into key saves and Cristian Portu hitting the post. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford rattled the crossbar from a free kick as the hosts searched for control.
Barca thought they had regained the lead when Pau Cubarsi bundled the ball home after an hour, but the goal was ruled out for a foul by Eric Garcia. Flick then made a surprise move, substituting Yamal and Pedri despite the scoreline—possibly to rest them ahead of the upcoming Champions League clash against Olympiakos and next weekend’s El Clasico.
As time ticked away, desperation set in. Flick threw Araujo forward, and the gamble paid off spectacularly when the defender latched onto Frenkie de Jong’s cross to secure a priceless victory.
Araujo tore off his shirt in celebration, his emotional reaction reflecting the relief that washed over Barcelona after a labored performance.
“We feel that we played a great game… (but) we had four or five clear chances and should have scored more to kill the game,” Witsel told DAZN. “It’s hard mentally to let in a goal like that, but we have to think about the first half (we played)… and keep that in mind for our next match.”
What You Should Know
Ronald Araujo, a 26-year-old Uruguayan defender known for his resilience and leadership, has become a vital figure in Barcelona’s backline since joining from Boston River in 2018.
His versatility and fighting spirit have earned him a reputation as one of La Liga’s most dependable defenders and now, a last-minute match-winner.
