As expected, Barcelona took the game to their near neighbours from the first whistle, with Marcus Rashford stinging Paulo Gazzaniga's fingers with an early free-kick and Lamine Yamal causing all sorts of problems on the opposite wing.
Girona’s 5-1-4 formation in response to the hosts’ early dominance clearly frustrated Barça, but it wasn’t enough to deny them the opener as some superb work from Pedri created space, and his reverse shot rolled in off the post for a 47th consecutive game scored in by the club - a new record.
It would be nearly 20 minutes in before Girona managed a sustained period of attacking threat, and with the hosts unable to clear a corner, the oldest player on the pitch, Axel Witsel, equalised with a spectacular overhead kick.
In Girona’s next attack, only a strong hand from Wojciech Szczesny stopped the Blaugranes from going behind, before Portu hit the post after piercing Barca’s high defensive line with ease.
Gazzaniga then went full length to tip Frenkie de Jong’s shot around the post as the action flowed from end to end and the decibel levels in the stands rose significantly.
Only the woodwork kept out another vicious Rashford free-kick, and whilst it was the hosts in the ascendancy as half time approached, Girona still threatened, with Bryan Gil and Witsel guilty of missing very presentable chances.
Half-time sub Fermin Lopez fired off a long-range effort at the start of the second half as Barca attempted to increase the tempo, but just as in the first 45, Girona were quickly on the front foot themselves as Gil again went close.
As the hour mark approached, both teams remained on the front foot in torrential conditions, and Barcelona thought they had gone ahead through Pau Cubarsi. However, play was pulled back for an earlier infringement.
Rashford then somehow put the ball wide from three yards out and quickly brought two further saves from Gazzaniga as the hosts looked to put daylight between themselves and their visitors.
As the game entered its final stages, Girona settled for playing on the counter, with any consistent forays coming from the hosts. The visitors deserved great credit for repelling such an onslaught, and the whistles from the stands told their own story.
Hansi Flick’s stoppage-time red card for dissent only exacerbated supporter ire, but the mood soon changed when Ronald Araujo slid home a 93rd-minute winner.
The result means it's now 12 league games that Girona have lost when conceding the first goal, a run that began in March against Barcelona.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Paulo Gazzaniga (Girona)