Barca wasteful but beat Elche to extend Liga lead

2026-02-01 - 08:26

Barcelona spurned some big chances but still moved four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday with a 3-1 win at Elche, thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford. Elsewhere third-place Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 at lowly Levante, while Villarreal were also held in a 2-2 draw at Osasuna. Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid, second, host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday aiming to reduce the gap to the leaders back to one point. Hansi Flick’s Barca created several clear opportunities in an entertaining clash but the woodwork and some profligate finishing stopped them from securing a far bigger victory. Elche, 12th, have impressed this season and created good chances of their own at the Martinez Valero stadium, but Barca were too strong for them, despite some poor finishing. “In the first half you have to decide this game, I like (it more) when the players turn their chances into goals,” Flick told reporters. “We created a lot of chances but we missed them in front of goal, this is the bad thing, but in the end I told the team I’m happy with the three points and congratulations on this performance.” Teenage star Yamal opened the scoring after six minutes after Dani Olmo sent him through on goal. The 18-year-old coolly rounded goalkeeper Inaki Pena, a former Barca player, and slotted home. Olmo hit the crossbar before Elche equalised with a well-worked move to get Alvaro Rodriguez in behind Barca’s high line. Torres should have restored the Catalans’ advantage but, in a comical moment, hit the bar from point-blank range and then immediately diverted the rebound against