Eager to recover their footing following a defeat to rivals Real Madrid in La Liga, Barcelona stepped onto their home turf at Montjuic this Sunday evening to face Elche in the 11th round of fixtures.
Despite the advantage of playing at home, Barcelona faced considerable pressure during the initial 15 minutes. Nonetheless, two clinical sequences that capitalized on the opposition’s defensive errors propelled the Catalans to an early 2-0 lead.
Elche managed to halve the deficit before the break, reigniting the contest. However, Marcus Rashford secured a vital third goal, reinstating the two-goal cushion and solidifying Barcelona’s victory. Barca Universal presents the player assessments from the Barcelona 3-1 Elche fixture.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Wojceich Szczesny: 6.5
The Polish custodian had a relatively quiet evening in terms of shot-stopping activity. He was frequently challenged by the opposition’s aggressive high press but managed the situation effectively, adjusting well under duress.
The goalkeeper was largely helpless on Elche’s opening goal, as the shot was expertly curled precisely out of his reach.
Alejandro Balde: 8.0
The young full-back demonstrated exceptional vitality down Barcelona’s left flank. He was consistently reliable in defensive duties and a constant source of dynamism when pushing forward into the attacking third.
His bursts of speed offered the squad significant tactical flexibility on the wing, ensuring that every build-up on that side, especially those aimed at penetrating Elche’s defensive structure, posed a threat. He ultimately set up Yamal’s opening goal with an assist.
Eric Garcia: 6
Starting as a central defender for the fixture, the Spaniard performed commendably alongside Ronald Araujo, taking on the role of the primary ball-playing defender.
Garcia exhibited not only defensive resilience but also frequently sought to dismantle the opponent’s lines with deep passes, often distributing the ball into advantageous attacking zones.
Ronald Araujo: 7.0
The Uruguayan earned a starting spot following his impressive substitute appearance in the Clásico. He delivered a solid performance against Elche, appearing composed in the central defense and excelling at maintaining the offside line.
His superior speed provided Barcelona with the necessary quickness to track back and nullify any Elche counter-attacks, signaling a positive advancement in fortifying the backline.
Jules Kounde: 7
The French defender showed improvement compared to previous outings, particularly in short-passing sequences and link-up play.
However, he continued to make various unforced errors throughout the match. While his self-assurance might be on the mend, the full restoration of his top form appears to be a gradual process.
Marc Casado: 6.5
Stepping into the starting lineup due to Pedri’s injury, Casado capably managed the holding midfield role. He brought stability to the middle of the park and functioned as a dependable distributor of possession.
His significant effort and work rate were valuable, substantially aiding the team’s build-up play.
Frenkie de Jong: 7.5
De Jong was assigned the crucial task of breaching Elche’s high defensive formation with forward runs from a deeper position. Consequently, the player was perpetually focused on driving into the attack and seeking open spaces.
In Pedri’s absence, he took on the mantle of Barcelona’s key ball-carrier and primary distributor, successfully stepping into a challenging and critical role.
Fermin Lopez: 9
Lopez began the match with remarkable intensity and appeared highly motivated to expend extra effort in every phase of play. His high-octane energy infused life into Barcelona’s pressing game, facilitating the recovery of the ball in unexpected areas and catching Elche off guard.
In fact, his proactive run was the catalyst for the team’s second goal, and he capped his performance by providing an assist for the third.
Marcus Rashford: 7.5
While the striker did not register a direct goal contribution in the first half, his presence on the left wing was instrumental, both in initiating the build-up phase and for the direct attacking impetus he provides.
He showed confidence in taking shots, even from difficult angles, and combined effectively with teammates in congested areas. His efforts were rewarded when he ultimately scored a superb goal to restore Barcelona’s two-goal advantage.
Lamine Yamal: 7.0
The young winger displayed a marked improvement over his performance in the Clásico last week, moving with greater fluency and confidence. His dribbling was precise, and he once again flashed his signature bursts of acceleration.
He netted the team’s inaugural goal through a demonstration of fine technical skill: controlling the pass, pivoting into space, and striking the ball from a narrow angle past the keeper.
Ferran Torres: 7.5
“The Shark” secured Barcelona’s second goal of the night with a straightforward finish following Lopez’s perfectly weighted delivery.
When out of possession, he contributed tirelessly to the pressing game and was exceedingly useful thanks to his intelligent movement off the ball.