Barça’s relentless press shocks Elche as Yamal, Torres, and Rashford dominate
2 November 2025
Match Recap
Barcelona head coach Hans Flick expressed great satisfaction with his team's performance after a 3-1 La Liga win over Elche in Round 11, highlighting the high-pressing and collective spirit that carried them to victory at Montjuïc’s Olympic Stadium.
“I am very happy with the team. I loved the players’ performance and the way we pressed. We played better than in previous games, pressed as a unit, and controlled the ball well. The opening goals came as a result of this pressure, and that is what I want from my side,” Flick said after the whistle.
The German coach added that the current priority for Barcelona is to keep collecting points and progressively improve. “The aim today is to win. Against a side I like a lot like Elche, we pressed intensely and created many chances, though not all were finished. Step by step, that’s the important thing now.”
Regarding the opponent, Flick noted, “Elche is a team I admire; they tried to possess the ball and play bravely.”
On Pedri’s absence, Flick explained that the squad knows his value but must manage him carefully. “Everyone knows Pedri is exceptional, and we always want him with us, but we must be cautious. The important thing today is that we won and the players performed well despite the injuries,” he said.
Flick reserved special praise for Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres after their standout performances, saying, “Marcus is an amazing player, and Ferran delivered brilliant moments. I’m very happy with both; they were among the team’s best in the last two training sessions, and it showed in the match.”
Defensive notes were also discussed, with Flick adding that, “If both teams had exploited all their chances, the game could have ended 6-2 or 5-2. But this is a step forward; we have two games before the international break and we want to win them, the first in the Champions League on Wednesday.”
Closing the briefing, Flick addressed Lamine Yamal’s condition: “We must manage his injury carefully—he is disciplined and following the treatment, but injuries come and go, and we must handle them with caution.”
Barcelona returned to winning ways in La Liga with a 3-1 victory over Elche on Sunday at Montjuïc’s Olympic Stadium, in Round 11. The scorers were Lamine Yamal (9’), Ferran Torres (11’), and Marcus Rashford (61’). Rafa Mir pulled one back for Elche in the 42nd minute.
With the win, Barça moved to 25 points in second place, five behind leaders Real Madrid, while Elche stayed on 14 points in ninth. Barca had previously fallen in the Clasico against Real Madrid, losing 2-1 in the prior round.
Opta statistics note that Lamine Yamal has 17 goals in 80 La Liga appearances. For Torres, the strike was his 50th Barça goal in all competitions across 170 appearances (25 under Xavi, 25 under Flick). A brisk start saw Elche press early, but Barça’s pressing and quick distribution opened the scoring: Yamal netted in the 9th minute after a precise pass from Balde, and two minutes later Torres sealed the second after a successful midfield press by Fermín and a smooth finish on the run. Rafa Mir replied just before halftime, and Barça reasserted control after the break, with Rashford’s thunderbolt making it 3-1 in the 61st minute. The remaining minutes saw Barca close out the game with sustained pressure and solid defending, despite late attempts from Elche.
Two quick notes of caution emerged as the match wore on: a few chances went begging, and Elche showed courage by continuing to press until the final whistle. Yet the result underscored Barcelona’s ability to win with a compact, intense approach and clinical finishing when it mattered most.
Punchline 1: Barça pressed so hard that even the ball filed a restraining order against Elche’s breaks. Lock, stock, and high press.
Punchline 2: If football were a sniper rifle, Barça’s forwards already have the target locked on every 50-50 ball—the only thing sharper is their post-match playlist claiming victory.
