Marcus Rashford was on target once again as Barcelona moved four points clear at the top of the La Liga table with a win at Elche.
2025/2026 La Liga
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Match Report
The reigning champions took a sixth-minute lead when Dani Olmo threaded through Lamine Yamal and the 18-year-old rounded Elche goalkeeper Inaki Pena before passing into an empty net.
Elche, who last defeated Barcelona in December 1974, equalised through Alvaro Rodriguez, who beat the visitors' high line and calmly found the far corner after 29 minutes.
But Hansi Flick's side restored their lead 11 minutes later when Ferran Torres blasted Frenkie De Jong's cut-back into the roof of the net.
Manchester United loanee Rashford came off the bench at half-time and added a third with a tap-in following a low pass across goal from Yamal.
It was Rashford's 10th goal of the season and his second in as many games after he netted against Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Barcelona were the better side throughout and created a hatful of chances.
Dani Olmo hit the woodwork in the early stages and, with the scoreline at 1-1, Torres struck the crossbar first with his boot and then with his head on the rebound.
Just before the break, Torres rounded the goalkeeper but his shot was cleared off the line by Elche defender Victor Chust.
The victory was Barcelona's 15th win in 16 games in all competitions.
It puts pressure on second-placed Real Madrid, who have played one game fewer and could cut the Catalans' lead at the top of the table back to one point when they face local rivals Rayo Vallecano at home on Sunday (13:00 GMT).
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
2' Olmo plays a teasing ball across the box to Yamal who sends the ball wide
6' GOAL! Yamal rounds Inaki Pena to slot into an empty net! Elche 0-1 Barcelona
15' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona
18' Ferran is the latest to drill a shot wide as Barcelona look to increase lead
24' Rodriguez slips as he tries to get a shot away in the box
28' Raphinha finds Yamal who lays it off from Olmo and he hits the crossbar
29' GOAL! Rodriguez slots into net to level the game! Elche 1-1 Barcelona
34' Ferran should fire home from close range but hits the crossbar
36' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona
40' GOAL! Torres fires high into roof of net from close range! Elche 1-2 Barcelona
42' Fermin Lopez fires over the bar
44' Another shot over the bar from Fermin Lopez
46' Barcelona make a change at the break as Rashford comes on for Raphinha
47' Match Event for Elche vs Barcelona
48' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona
51' Alvaro Rodriguez fires a shot just wide of the post
68' Rashford tries to curl a shot into the bottom corner but it goes wide instead
72' GOAL! Rashford fires home from close range! Elche 1-3 Barcelona
80' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona
82' Highlight from Elche vs Barcelona
Line-ups
Elche XI: Andre Silva, Pena, Grady Diangana, Pedrosa, Víctor Chust, Marc Aguado, Germán Valera, David Affengruber, John Donald, Álvaro Rodríguez, Rodrigo Mendoza
Subs: Matías Dituro, Léo Pétrot, Martim Neto, Alejandro Iturbe, Lucas Cepeda, Yago Santiago, Federico Redondo, Adam Boayar, Nico Salvador, Álex Sánchez, David Delgado, Alex Herráiz Moll
Barcelona XI: Olmo, De Jong, Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Kounde, Eric Garcia, Joan García, Balde, Fermín López, Yamal, Cubarsi
Subs: Szczesny, Lewandowski, Cancelo, Rashford, Araujo, Casado, Roony Bardghji, Gerard Martín, Diego Kochen, Bernal