Barça Sparkles as Yamal Shines in 3-1 Triumph Over Elche

Match Report

Barcelona returned to winning ways in La Liga with a 3-1 victory over Elche on Sunday night at Montjuïc's Olympic Stadium, in matchweek 11. The Catalan club's goals came from Lamin Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford in the 9th, 11th, and 61st minutes, while Rafa Mir pulled one back for Elche in the 42nd minute. With the win, Barcelona moved to 25 points and second place, five behind Real Madrid; Elche remained on 14 points in ninth.

Barcelona had earlier suffered a Clasico defeat by Real Madrid, 2-1, in the previous round. The two teams started with Barça pressing high and Elche looking to sting on the break, but the hosts took control as the clock ticked on and their quality shone through.

Key Moments

In the 9th minute, Yamal received a through ball, cut inside and fired into the far corner to give Barça the lead. Two minutes later, Ferran Torres completed a swift counter after a clever move in midfield by Fermín, reaching Torres to finish from close range.

Elche hit back with Rafa Mir turning home a cross from Álvaro Núñez on 42 minutes, reducing Barça's lead just before halftime. The first half ended 2-1 to the hosts.

Early in the second half, Barça kept the pressure and extended the advantage on 61 minutes when Fermín played a smart pass to Rashford; he beat a defender and hit a shot that rattled the woodwork before finding the net for 3-1.

Elche pushed for a late reply, but Barça's defense held firm and the result stood. The Catalans now sit second with 25 points, five behind Real Madrid; Elche stay ninth with 14.

Final notes: Barça had recently lost the Clasico against Real Madrid, but wiped away that disappointment with a composed performance at home.

Punchline 1: If football were a dating app, Yamal just matched Elche with a perfect first impression and a cheeky second-date goal.

Punchline 2: Barça's attack was so sharp that even the Montjuïc pigeons started cheering from the stands.