In a thrilling encounter on matchday 22, Barcelona emerged victorious, defeating Elche by a score of 3-1 at the Martinez Valero Stadium. The home side started strongly but was ultimately overwhelmed by the Blaugranas’ attacking prowess.
Lamine Yamal set the tone for the match, scoring in the 6th minute with a well-placed shot. Elche responded in the 29th minute when Alvaro Rodriguez found the net with a smart finish after a cross from Germán Valera, leveling the score.
However, Barcelona quickly regained control of the match, with Ferran Torres putting them ahead again just before halftime at the 40th minute. The final blow came in the 72nd minute when Marcus Rashford sealed the game with an impressive strike, making it 3-1 for the visitors.
Lamine Yamal was undoubtedly the star of the match, contributing significantly with 1 goal, 6 shots on target, and an impressive tally of 35 successful passes. Ferran Torres also made a considerable impact, scoring once and attempting 8 shots.
Elche’s manager, Eder Sarabia, deployed a 4-4-2 formation with Iñaki Peña in goal; a defense consisting of Adriá Pedrosa, David Affengruber, Víctor Chust, and John Donald; a midfield featuring Grady Diangana, Rodrigo Mendoza, Marc Aguado, and Germán Valera; and Alvaro Rodriguez alongside André Silva up front.
Hans Flick, on the other hand, opted for a 4-3-3 setup, placing Joan García between the sticks, with Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsi, Eric García, and Alejandro Balde forming the defense; Fermín López, Frenkie de Jong, and Dani Olmo in midfield; and Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha leading the attack.
The match was officiated by referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz.
Looking ahead, Elche will face Real Sociedad away, while Barcelona is set to host Mallorca in their upcoming fixture.
With this victory, Barcelona strengthens their position at the top of the table, accumulating 55 points, while Elche remains in 12th place with 24 points.
Substitutions for Elche
55’ 2T – Marc Aguado substituted by Federico Redondo
59’ 2T – Grady Diangana substituted by Martim Neto
60’ 2T – André Silva substituted by Adam Boayar
74’ 2T – David Affengruber and Alvaro Rodriguez substituted by Léo Pétrot and Lucas Cepeda respectively.
Yellow Cards for Elche:
37’ 1T – John Donald (holding an opponent to prevent advancement)
28’ 2T – Eder Sarabia (insulting or disapproving the referee)
30’ 2T – Rodrigo Mendoza (unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Barcelona
45’ 2T – Raphinha substituted by Marcus Rashford
61’ 2T – Ferran Torres substituted by Robert Lewandowski; Dani Olmo substituted by Marc Bernal
83’ 2T – Jules Koundé substituted by Ronald Araújo
84’ 2T – Fermín López substituted by Marc Casadó.
Yellow Card for Barcelona:
45’ 2T – Frenkie de Jong (unsporting behavior)