Barcelona continued their relentless march toward the La Liga title on Saturday, securing a clinical 3-1 victory over Elche at the Martínez Valero. The win, headlined by teenage phenom Lamine Yamal and a resurgent Marcus Rashford, extends the Blaugrana’s lead at the top of the table to four points over rivals Real Madrid.
The contest was barely six minutes old when Dani Olmo threaded a needle-like pass to Lamine Yamal. The 18-year-old, who has returned to peak physical condition following a groin issue earlier in the season, showed veteran composure to round former Barca keeper Inaki Pena and slot into an empty net.
While Elche managed to capitalize on Barcelona's high defensive line in the 29th minute- with Alvaro Rodriguez finding the far corner to level the scores, the parity was short-lived.
After Ferran Torres restored the lead in the 40th minute, smashing home a cut-back from Frenkie de Jong, Hansi Flick introduced Marcus Rashford at the interval. The Manchester United loanee has become a vital cog in Flick’s machine, and he didn't take long to make his mark.
In the 60th minute, Rashford pounced on a low cross from Yamal to tap in Barcelona's third.
This strike marked Rashford’s 10th goal of the season in all competitions and his 5th in La Liga since arriving in Catalonia.
Having also scored against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday, the England international is currently averaging a goal every 112 minutes in a Barca shirt.
| Category | Elche | Barcelona |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 1 | 3 |
| Possession | 38% | 62% |
| Shots on Target | 3 | 9 |
| Woodwork Hit | 1 | 3 |
| Pass Accuracy | 78% | 89% |
Barcelona now sits on 18 wins from 22 matches. While they are four points clear, the pressure remains high as Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid holds a game in hand. Madrid faces Rayo Vallecano on Sunday; a win for the Los Blancos would trim the gap back to a single point.
We are still growing as a team. We have not reached our top level yet, but the important thing is that we are generating so many chances.Frenkie de Jong