Barca returned to winning ways in their match Vs Elche at the Montjuic Stadium yesterday. Goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford were enough for the win with Rafa Mir scoring Elche’s lone goal.
Hansi Flick was back in the dugout after serving his suspension and in the absence of the injured Pedri, he named Marc Casado in the starting eleven, with the only other change from the clasico defeat being Ronaldo Araujo in for Pau Cubarsi. Eder Sarabia named one change from Elche’s 1-0 loss to Espanyol last week with Leo Petrol replaced by Adria Pedrosa.
The match between Barcelona and Elche began as a somewhat cagey affair, though the home side showed early attacking intent. In the third minute, Frenkie de Jong registered the match’s first dangerous looking action, attempting a shot from inside the box but it sailed wide of the post. For the next few minutes, the action remained relatively even, with Elche keeping possession well and pressing high, suggesting the visitors had come to play without fear and were not intimidated by the occasion.
The entire dynamic of the match however changed in a frantic two-minute spell. In the ninth minute, Barcelona capitalized dramatically on a defensive lapse by the visitors. A misplaced pass by David Affengruber was intercepted by Alejandro Balde, providing the left-back with the space to surge forward. Balde then found Lamine Yamal inside the penalty area. The young attacker showed exceptional composure, cutting inside onto his left foot before unleashing a precise strike that curled the ball into the far corner to open the scoring.
The early lead had immediate psychological consequences, and Elche were clearly still reeling when Barcelona struck again just two minutes later. The goal came courtesy of another critical defensive error, as Adrià Pedrosa slipped, allowing Fermin Lopez to capitalize instantly. Lopez raced to the byline and delivered a low cross that found Ferran Torres, who had a simple task to tap the ball in from close range, doubling the lead for the home side and putting Barcelona in what seemed like full control.
Despite the quick two-goal blitz, Elche refused to crumble. The match shifted into a more open, back-and-forth contest, with the visitors battling to stay in the game. An attacking move from the hosts was pulled back in the 39th minute after Ferran Torres was deemed offside in the build-up and this missed opportunity proved costly moments later, as Rafa Mir pulled one back for Elche in the 41st minute. The goal was born from a quick counter-attack, with Mir released onto a ball from Álvaro Núñez. The striker showed clinical composure, turning inside Ronald Araujo before slotting the ball past Wojciech Szczesny to reduce the deficit.
The late goal injected belief into Elche just before the interval, setting up a much tighter second half than the opening minutes had suggested. In the remaining moments of the half, Ferran Torres had a chance to restore the two-goal cushion, attempting a shot on the swivel in first-half stoppage time, but Elche’s goalkeeper, Iñaki Peña, brilliantly saved the effort, ensuring the score remained 2-1 at the break.
The second half began with tactical adjustments, as Rodrigo Mendoza came on for Martim Neto for Elche, showing the visitors’ intent to chase an equalizer. The early stages of the second period saw Elche press hard, forcing Barcelona onto the back foot. In the 48th minute, Marcus Rashford had a chance to strike for the hosts but his shot went well wide, failing to trouble the goalkeeper.
Elche came agonizingly close to scoring again in the 55th minute as Rafa Mir clipped the top of the crossbar with a powerful curling effort. This near miss underlined the threat Elche continued to pose. However, against the run of play during Elche’s period of dominance, Barcelona delivered the decisive blow in the 61st minute. Marcus Rashford extended the lead, putting an end to Elche’s genuine hopes of a comeback. The goal began with a clever, long pass from Fermín López across the field to the left flank. Rashford controlled the ball expertly, held off his marker, and unleashed a fierce shot that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar to make it 3-1.
Elche continued to fight, demonstrating tremendous heart despite the restored two-goal deficit. In the 67th minute, Rafa Mir again hit the woodwork, striking the right post after a fast press, marking the second time Elche hit the frame of the goal in the second half.
Barcelona then began to manage the match and introduce fresh legs. In the 73rd minute, Robert Lewandowski came on to replace Marcus Rashford, marking the star striker’s return from injury. A minute later, Dani Olmo replaced Fermín López for Barcelona, while Elche made two changes, Yago Santiago came on for Germán Valera, and Álvaro Rodríguez replaced André Silva. The changes slowed the pace and allowed Barcelona to regain control through possession.
The final quarter saw only a few attacking flourishes. In the 78th minute, Lamine Yamal had a chance for a brace from a low cross by Ferran Torres but blazed the shot waywardly over the bar, ending a potential quick break. Elche made their final substitution in the 82nd minute, with John Donald coming on to replace Adrià Pedrosa.
As the clock ticked down to the final whistle, Barcelona used their remaining substitutions, in the 89th minute, Roony Bardghji came on for Lamine Yamal and Dro Fernández for Ferran Torres, concluding all five available slots. In the final moments of stoppage time, John Donald missed a late chance for Elche, heading a cross off-target from close range, symbolizing the visitors’ frustration.
The final whistle confirmed the 3-1 victory for Barcelona. The match was ultimately decided by two quick goals resulting from defensive errors, but was far from a comfortable win, marked by Elche’s spirited fightback and several near misses that twice hit the woodwork. Barcelona’s individual quality, particularly the decisive strike from Marcus Rashford, proved the difference, allowing the hosts to bounce back from their Clásico defeat and secure a vital three points.
