La Liga 2025-26: Barcelona beats Girona in stoppage time; Hansi Flick was sent away

Substitute Ronald Araújo gave Barcelona a 2-1 victory over Girona in injury time in La Liga on Saturday and ended a mini losing streak before the Clásico against Real Madrid next week.

The centre-back made a striker’s move as he slid in front of his marker as they raced towards the near post and expertly diverted a low pass from Frenkie de Jong.

Araújo’s latest goal came moments after Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was sent off with two quick yellow cards, apparently for complaining that the referee had not added more than four minutes of stoppage time.

The broadcast means that Flick will not be on the sidelines during the first classic of the season.

Barcelona lost 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League before the international break and were stunned 4-1 by Sevilla in La Liga.

Pedri González gave Barcelona the lead with a stunning goal in the 13th, returning an angled ball across the area and inside the near post without looking at the goal.

But Barcelona’s control collapsed after Axel Witsel equalized seven minutes later with an acrobatic bicycle kick, sending a loose high ball off the grass and past Wojciech Szczęsny.

Only Szczęsny’s saves and Girona’s poor shooting prevented the visitor from taking the lead before half-time after the visitor was able to launch repeated counter-attacks.

Girona then needed goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga to parry back shots from Fermín López and Marcus Rashord before Araújo scored the result.

With Barcelona missing forwards Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres and playmaker Dani Olmo through injury, Flick handed a La Liga debut to 17-year-old striker Toni Fernández. He was substituted for Fermín at half-time.

Barcelona took the lead in the league with a one-point lead over Madrid before playing Getafe on Sunday.

Published on October 18, 2025