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Barcelona picked up their fourth consecutive victory in La Liga earlier today as the Catalans scored twice past an uninspiring Elche outfit to move to within three points of second place. The Catalan giants were visibly below their creative best but managed to coast to victory after a few moments of magic from Frenkie de Jong.
Elche are now neck-deep in the relegation zone and will need to rediscover their cutting edge in the final third. Barcelona still have plenty of work to do ahead of a hectic schedule but will be buoyed by Lionel Messi's return next weekend.
Barcelona pick up important away victory against Elche
Barcelona predictably dominated the ball in the opening stages of the game but found it difficult to scythe through Elche's low block. The home side did have a spell in the final third but fashioned only two concrete chances in the first half against Barcelona and were unable to pose a threat.
Ousmane Dembele and Pedri grew into the game by the half-hour mark and did have a few threatening moments in Elche's half. Barcelona finally broke the deadlock in the 40th minute as a Martin Braithwaite and Antoine Griezmann wreaked havoc in the penalty area and Frenkie de Jong bundled the ball into the back of the net.
Barcelona were visibly looking to put the game to bed in the second half as Elche's counter-attacking tactics opened spaces for the Catalan giants. Lucas Boye nearly scored against the run of play after an error from Barcelona's defence but Ter Stegen stood tall to pull off an excellent save.
Elche's tired legs struggled to contain Barcelona towards the end of the game as Frenkie de Jong burst into the penalty area and his accurate cross was bundled home by an ecstatic Riqui Puig. The Catalan giants were comfortable in the final minutes of the match and secured three important points against a feisty opponent.
Elche Player Ratings
Edgar Badia - 7.5/10
Edgar Badia could do nothing about Barcelona's first-half goal and was left stranded as the Catalans scored before half-time. The former Espanyol shot-stopper pulled off stunning saves to deny Trincao in the second half and had an excellent game.
Gonzalo Verdu - 6/10
Gonzalo Verdu kept tabs on Antoine Griezmann and made a few important interceptions against Barcelona. The centre-back stood tall against Barcelona's imposing forward line and put in a commendable shift.
Diego Gonzalez - 5/10
Diego Gonzalez did well to get ahead of Griezmann in the build-up to Barcelona's goal but was unfortunate that his goal-bound clearance was slammed into the back of the net by Frenkie de Jong. The defender did give the ball away on a few occasions and had a largely uncomfortable game.
Antonio Barragan - 5.5/10
Antonio Barragan was impressive against Pedri and Braithwaite and used his experience to thwart Barcelona's attacking play. The right-back was partially at fault for Barcelona's first-half goal but stepped up to keep Ousmane Dembele quiet in the second half.
Johan Mojica - 5.5/10
Johan Mojica was tormented by Ousmane Dembele in the first half and spent most of the game tracking Barcelona's French speedster. The full-back did get forward on a few occasions but was only able to put a handful of crosses into Barcelona's penalty area.
Ivan Marcone - 5/10
Ivan Marcone was given a difficult time by Pedri but was largely able to contain the Barcelona youngster in the first half. Marcone's workload grew exponentially in the second half as Barcelona exploited spaces in the final third and ran rings around the midfielder as a result.
Victor Rodriguez - 6.5/10
Victor Rodriguez put in a massive shift in the heart of the midfield against Barcelona and repelled several Catalan moves. Rodriguez also did well to initiate a few counter-attacks and was one of his side's best players.
Raul Guti - 5.5/10
Raul Guti did catch the eye with a few impressive touches but was unable to make a mark on the match. The midfielder struggled to move the ball past Sergio Busquets and spent significant periods of the game chasing shadows.
Emiliano Rigoni - 6/10
Emiliano Rigoni spent most of the first half as an auxiliary left-back in a bid to contain the electric Ousmane Dembele. Rigoni did manage a few runs into Barcelona's half but spent most of the game closer to his own goal.
Josan Ferrandez - 6/10
Josan Ferrandez was one of Elche's only forward players throughout the game and did manage to exploit Jordi Alba's advanced position. The winger did not see much of the ball, however, and had to keep up with Barcelona's left-back.
Lucas Boye - 5/10
Lucas Boye was stonewalled by Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo for most of the game. The Elche striker was gifted with a golden opportunity in the second half but should have done much better with his shot.
Substitutes
Tete Morente - 6/10
Tete Morente was brought on with 15 minutes remaining in the game and spent much of his time on the pitch chasing shadows.
Luismi - 5.5/10
Luismi was brought on to add solidity to Elche's midfield but was no match for Frenkie de Jong in the middle of the pitch.
Nino - 6/10
Nino was brought on by Elche in a late bid to break Barcelona's defences but the 40-year-old winger was unable to make an impact.
Also Read: 5 Barcelona players who have improved under Ronald Koeman
Barcelona Player Ratings
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 7.5/10
Barcelona's German wall Marc-Andre ter Stegen gave the ball away on one occasion in the second half but made amends minutes later with an exceptional one-on-one save from Lucas Boye. The shot-stopper was comfortable on the ball and was rewarded with another clean sheet.
Ronald Araujo - 8/10
Ronald Araujo has already made a massive case for himself as Barcelona's best defender at the moment. The Uruguayan centre-back put in another reliable shift for the Blaugrana and did not put a foot wrong throughout the match.
Samuel Umtiti - 7/10
Samuel Umtiti did have a nervous moment in the first half after a slip from the Frenchman in his own half resulted in a chance for Elche. The World Cup winner was excellent with his ball at his feet and will likely give Clement Lenglet a run for his money in the months to come.
Oscar Mingueza - 6/10
Oscar Mingueza nearly gifted Elche an equaliser in the second half as a clumsy slip set Lucas Boye up with an excellent opportunity against Ter Stegen. The La Masia graduate kept pace with Elche's counter-attacks but needs to work on his crosses in the final third.
Jordi Alba - 6.5/10
Jordi Alba spent most of his time in Elche's half of the pitch but was unable to create concrete chances of note for Barcelona. The left-back had very little defensive work to do and enjoyed a comfortable outing.
Sergio Busquets - 7.5/10
Sergio Busquets had one of the best games this season against Elche and retrieved the ball on several occasions. The veteran Barcelona midfielder dictated terms on the pitch and had a typically profound impact on the game.
Frenkie de Jong - 8/10
Frenkie de Jong is nearly back to his impeccable best for the first time in Barcelona colours and was involved in nearly every attacking move against Elche. The Dutch midfielder ran across the pitch to grab Barcelona's first goal off the line and burst into the penalty area with an excellent run to create Riqui Puig's goal.
Pedri - 7.5/10
Pedri has become Barcelona's primary orchestrator in the final third in recent weeks and played the role to perfection against Elche. The youngster regularly found spaces between the lines and
Antoine Griezmann - 6.5/10
Antoine Griezmann played in a central position against Elche and did have a few good touches in the first half. The French forward played an instrumental role in Barcelona's first goal of the game but is yet to hit his peak this season.
Ousmane Dembele - 6/10
Ousmane Dembele was one of Barcelona's most incisive players in the first half and completed several dribbles in the wider areas of the pitch. The French winger was disappointing with his set-piece deliveries, however, and will still need to work on his final product.
Martin Braithwaite - 6.5/10
Martin Braithwaite was involved in an intriguing battle with Antonio Barragan on the left flank and was marshalled by Elche's defence. The Danish striker came up with an excellent weighted cross for Barcelona's opening goal and created another chance in the second half.
Substitutes
Francisco Trincao - 7/10
Francisco Trincao put in an improved performance against Elche and was denied his first Barcelona goal by an exceptional save from Edgar Badia. The Portuguese winger looked confident on the ball and can take plenty of heart from his performance.
Riqui Puig - 7.5/10
Riqui Puig is the man of the hour in Barcelona at the moment. The Catalan youngster had only 10 minutes to make an impact and rose the highest to head the ball home despite being the shortest man on the pitch.
Puig scored his first goal in Barcelona colours today and was thrilled with his cameo appearance. The La Masia prodigy has been knocking on the door of the first team throughout this season and made a massive statement with a well-taken goal.
Also Read: 5 Barcelona players who are out of favour under Ronald Koeman
