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Barcelona returned to winning ways in La Liga earlier today with an impressive 3-0 victory against Elche at the Camp Nou. The Catalan giants overcame a series of creative problems in the first half and now find themselves within five points of the La Liga summit.
Lionel Messi was the catalyst for Barcelona yet again in this match and scored a brace to take his La Liga tally to 18 goals for the season. Barcelona now face a litmus test against Julen Lopetegui's Sevilla outfit this weekend.
Barcelona did have a few problems with Elche's counter-attacking set-up in the opening stages of the match but went on to dominate the ball as the first-half progressed. Elche were a disciplined unit, however, and deprived the Catalans of their fluidity and movement.
Barcelona's only chance of the first half fell to Francisco Trincao as the Portuguese winger dribbled his way into the penalty area but was denied by an excellent save. The Blaugrana were distinctly toothless before half-time and struggled to impose themselves on the game.
Ronald Koeman switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the second half and the change in tactics yielded immediate results as Lionel Messi made the most of Martin Braithwaite's impressive flick to score Barcelona's opening goal. The introduction of Sergio Busquets liberated Frenkie de Jong and the Dutchman drove into the penalty area to set Lionel Messi up for his second goal of the night.
Barcelona continued to maintain their stranglehold on the ball as Elche struggled to cope with the Catalans' superior skills. Jordi Alba added a cherry on the cake with an exceptional third goal and rounded off a happy night at the Camp Nou for Barcelona.
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 6/10
Marc-Andre ter Stegen was finally allowed his clean sheet after a disappointing series of results and had very little to do against Elche. The Barcelona shot-stopper had to make only one save and was a spectator for most of the match.
Gerard Pique - 6.5/10
Gerard Pique had a comfortable outing against Elche and was impressive with his ball distribution. The Barcelona veteran pulled a muscle in the second half and was substituted towards the end of the match.
Samuel Umtiti - 6.5/10
Samuel Umtiti made a statement with his performance for Barcelona today and nipped several Elche attacks in the bud. The Frenchman also completed most of his passes and had a positive outing.
Oscar Mingueza - 6.5/10
Oscar Mingueza found himself in the final third on several occasions and used his pace to good effect to make recoveries throughout the game. The Catalan youngster had a good game and continues to impress under Ronald Koeman.
Jordi Alba - 7/10
Jordi Alba was rarely troubled in his own half and put in a good shift on the left flank. The Barcelona full-back scored a striker's goal in the second half and was taken off for Sergino Dest with less than 15 minutes left in the game.
Miralem Pjanic - 5/10
Miralem Pjanic did win the ball for Barcelona on a few occasions in the first half but was unable to create anything of note in the middle of the pitch. The Bosnian midfielder was replaced by Ousmane Dembele after half-time as Barcelona chased their opening goal.
Frenkie de Jong - 7.5/10
Frenkie de Jong controlled the tempo of the game for Barcelona and came into his own in the second half. The former Ajax prodigy surged into the final third with an incredible run and bagged a well-deserved assist for Barcelona's second goal.
Pedri - 7/10
Pedri was a livewire throughout the game and displayed his unassailable versatility by occupying several positions on the pitch. The Barcelona youngster played a part in the second goal and won possession back for the Catalans on several occasions.
Francisco Trincao - 6.5/10
Francisco Trincao was one of the only Barcelona players who wanted to make something happen in the first half and came close to scoring the opening goal. The Portuguese winger was replaced by Sergio Busquets after Barcelona took the lead in the second half.
Martin Braithwaite - 7/10
Martin Braithwaite endured a dismal first half but more than made up for it with an improved performance after half-time. The Danish striker set up Lionel Messi's first goal with a gorgeous flick and also gave Jordi Alba his goal with a cushioned header.
Lionel Messi - 8.5/10
Lionel Messi was uncharacteristically quiet in the first half but reverted to his usual irresistible self after he was given a central role. The Argentine talisman completed excellent dribbles to score both his goals and also played a pivotal role in Barcelona's third goal on the night.
Substitutes
Ousmane Dembele - 6/10
Ousmane Dembele did trouble Elche on the left flank and displayed a few impressive touches and dribbles. The Frenchman did not create chances, however, and will need to improve his final product.
Sergio Busquets - 6.5/10
Sergio Busquets was introduced after Barcelona's first goal to control the tempo of the game and played his role to perfection.
Antoine Griezmann - 5.5/10
Antoine Griezmann saw plenty of the ball in the penalty area and should have found the back of the net on a couple of occasions.
Sergino Dest - 6.5/10
Sergino Dest replaced Jordi Alba on the left flank and made a few impressive runs behind Elche's defensive lines for Barcelona.
Clement Lenglet - 6/10
Clement Lenglet was introduced towards the end of the match and did not have enough time to make an impact.
Also Read: Twitter explodes as Lionel Messi steals the show for Barcelona in 3-0 win against Elche
