LaLiga: Barcelona Beats Elche 3-1, Closes Gap on Real Madrid

Rashford's goal secures Barcelona's 3-1 victory over Elche

Barcelona closed the gap on LaLiga leaders Real Madrid to just five points with a 3-1 victory over Elche, marking their ninth consecutive win against the Franjiverdes.

Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford scored for Barcelona, while Rafa Mir netted for Elche...

Barcelona closed the gap on LaLiga leaders Real Madrid with a 3-1 win over Elche, marking their ninth consecutive success against the Franjiverdes. The match saw a lively opening with both teams switching possession constantly.

The fast-paced game saw its first notable chance in the eighth minute when Alejandro Balde's clever pass found Lamine Yamal, who smashed home a left-footed effort, giving Barcelona the lead. This goal set the tone for the rest of the match, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. Ferran Torres doubled the lead two minutes later with a tap-in from Fermin Lopez's cross. Elche pulled one back before halftime through Rafa Mir, but Marcus Rashford sealed the win for Barcelona in the 61st minute with a fine finish from Lopez's cross.

FT: #BarçaElcheCF 3-1

🫡Impecable performance from Hansi Flick's team. #LALIGAEASPORTS pic.twitter.com/6cZUWNheOA

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) November 2, 2025

Fermin Lopez seized the opportunity presented by Adrià Pedrosa's slip to drive forward and set up Ferran Torres for the second goal, making it 2-0 in favor of Barcelona. This goal extended the team's streak of scoring multiple goals in head-to-head matches to 11 games.

Despite facing a dominant Barcelona side seeking their sixth win in seven home games this season, Elche showed resilience and determination, refusing to back down. The visitors continued to play with spirit, attempting to find a way back into the match against the odds.

However, Barcelona's relentless pressure paid off as they continued to create scoring opportunities. Both Marcus Rashford and Fermín Lopez came close to scoring, with a last-ditch block from Adrià Pedrosa saving a certain goal for Rashford.

Just as Barcelona seemed to be dominating the game, Elche's Rafa Mir broke through the weak offside trap and curled a brilliant shot past Wojciech Szczęsny, reducing the deficit to 2-1 as halftime approached. This goal gave Elche a glimmer of hope heading into the second half.

The game quickly regained its momentum after the break, with Barcelona continuing to press for a second goal. In the final moments of the first half, goalkeeper Peña made an incredible one-handed save to deny Ferran Torres, keeping Elche in the match.

The second half began with Rashford having a golden chance to double Barcelona's lead, but he couldn't capitalize. Moments later, he was on the scoresheet, however, after a Fermín pass set him up for a beautiful finish that sealed the win for Barcelona.

Rafa Mir continued to threaten Barcelona's goal, hitting the crossbar with a shot eerily similar to his earlier goal, but Marcus Rashford eventually put the ball beyond doubt, scoring with a powerful shot from a tight angle that ricocheted off the woodwork.

Rafa Mir remained determined to make an impact, rattling the goal frame with a shot and then directing another straight at Wojciech Szczęsny when well-placed. Despite his efforts, Elche couldn't capitalize on his chances.

The win extends Barcelona's unbeaten head-to-head record over Elche to 22 matches (W18, D4). For Elche, the result means they have now gone four league games without a win (D1, L3).