FC Barcelona reclaimed the lead in LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26 on matchday 9 thanks to a stunning late goal from Ronald Araujo. The 'Culés' struggled much more than expected against a Girona side that knew how to stand up at Montjuïc, but ultimately added 3 golden points to surpass, momentarily, Real Madrid by one point in the standings.
Injuries forced Hansi Flick to opt for a surprise lineup, but once again Barça suffered two recurring problems in the week leading up to the second break of the 25/26 season: defensive fragility and a lack of decisiveness.
Barça made 27 shots, 9 of them on goal. In addition, the team had 68% possession. But they had to wait until 90+3' to take the victory. Ronald Araujo was the hero and scorer of the day to avoid another setback and unleash the madness in Montjuïc.
Girona Surprised Barça After Pedri's Initial Goal
Hansi Flick opted for an unprecedented attack, with Lamine Yamal returning to the starting XI to accompany Marcus Rashford and Toni Fernández as a 'false 9'. The Azulgrana team completed a remarkable opening quarter of an hour, putting Míchel's side against the ropes.
Pedri González opened the scoring in the 13th minute, sending a pass into the net to culminate a great collective play by Barça. It looked like a rout in favor of the 'culés' was coming before halftime, but Girona reacted quickly to the initial disadvantage.
In the 20th minute, in the first dangerous approach to the rival area, Axel Witsel surprised Szczesny with an acrobatic finish. The Belgian took advantage of Arnau Martínez's anticipation after a corner to execute a spectacular bicycle kick.
The Barça fans once again worried Gazzaniga with a shot from Frenkie that the Argentinian cleared with difficulty, and a free kick from Rashford that went directly to the crossbar. From 1-1, the match became a spectacular back-and-forth.
However, Girona found it easy to break the offside trap of the usually advanced Barça defense. Vanat tested Szczesny in a one-on-one in the 22nd minute, while Portu sent another shot against the post in the 24th minute.
Bryan Gil and Witsel also wasted very clear opportunities before the break, while the Barça defense was leaking as an intense rain was unleashed in Montjuïc. The storm would extend throughout the second half, with a Barcelona a little more composed on the field after long minutes of uncertainty.
Gazzaniga, Girona's hero in the second half
At halftime, Flick brought on Fermín López for Toni Fernández. The entry of the player from Huelva gave the Barça attack more balance, as well as an extra weapon: the shot from outside the area. The '16' tested Gazzaniga's reflexes in the 49th minute and hit the post in the 53rd, with a pair of long-range shots.
Míchel's team, as the minutes passed, lost the strength to hurt on the counter, while Barça once again created a lot of danger on the flanks. In the 63rd minute, Roony Bardghji and Andreas Christensen also came on for Lamine and Pedri, in accordance with the coaching staff's planned distribution of minutes.
The Swedish winger came on and did quite well, providing an assist with the outside of his boot that was wasted by a Rashford who was off-balance when it came to finishing from close range. The Englishman also tried his luck with a few shots from the edge of the box, but Gazzaniga, who had already become a key figure for the visitors, prevented his goal from being breached.
Gil Manzano messed up again in the Barça-Girona match
Rashford, in fact, was also at the center of the controversy of the day in the 73rd minute. The '14' of the 'Azulgranas' ran in the dispute for a ball and, entering the area, was knocked down by a slap to the face from the Brazilian Vitor Reis. The images showed the contact, but Jesús Gil Manzano did not sanction the possible penalty. Juan Luis Pulido, from VAR, did not make any call either.
Previously, in the 61st minute, the referee from Extremadura had disallowed a goal by Pau Cubarsí due to a previous foul by Eric García. The '24' anticipated Hugo Rincón in the air, but the referee considered that there was an illegal charge by the player from Martorell. When the ball fell to the '5' of Barça to finish, Gil Manzano had already rushed to whistle the foul in favor of Girona.
To top it all off, the manager, Hansi Flick, was sent off towards the end for protesting the added time. Despite the substitutions and several interruptions in the second half, the referee only gave 4 minutes of added time.
Ronald Araujo, Barça's unexpected '9'
In the 80th minute, Flick took off Marc Casadó for Ronald Araujo to provide greater solidity in Barcelona's offensive aerial game. Earlier, Gerard Martín had also come on for Balde, thus maintaining the line of 4 at the back.
Right on time, in the 90+3', the Barça puncture seemed inevitable, but Araujo, as a '9', scored a great goal to give the Barça team the 3 points. Frenkie de Jong broke down the right, filtering a pass to the middle that found the 'Charrúa' anticipating the central defenders like a true 'killer'.
Dramatic Barça victory to recover, for now, the LaLiga leadership with 22 points, one more than Real Madrid. The 'merengues' visit Getafe on Sunday. On October 26, it will be time for the first Clásico of the 25/26 season at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Match Stats: FC Barcelona 2-1 Girona
- FC Barcelona, 2: Szczesny; Koundé, Eric Garcia, Cubarsí, Balde (Gerard Martín, min. 76); Casadó (Araujo, min. 80), Pedri (Christensen, min. 63); Lamine Yamal (Roony, min. 63), De Jong, Toni Fernández (Fermín, min. 46); and Rashford.
- Girona, 1: Gazzaniga; Rincón, Vitor Reis, Blind, Àlex Moreno; Witsel, Arnau (Kourouma, min. 76); Bryan Gil (Solís, min. 62), Portu (Tsygankov, min. 62), Joel Roca (Asprilla, min. 68); Vanat (Stuani, min. 68).
- Goals: 1-0, Pedri González (min. 13); 1-1, Axel Witsel (min. 20); 2-1, Ronald Araujo (min. 90+3).
- Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano. Booked Christian Stuani an Alex Moreno for Girona. Disallowed a goal by Pau Cubarsí for a prior foul by Eric García. Overlooked a slap by Vitor Reis to Marcus Rashford's face inside the area in the second half, with no VAR call for a possible penalty. Sent off Hansi Flick in stoppage time for protesting. For Barça, cautioned Ronald Araujo.
- Stadium: Olímpico Lluís Companys de Montjuïc (43,172 spectators).
- Incidents: match corresponding to matchday 9 of LaLiga EA Sports 2025/26.