They continued to struggle in defence and Elche had chances to cause an upset
\n BARCELONA
\nLamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford struck for Barcelona as they earned a 3-1 win over Elche in La Liga on Sunday to bounce back from last weekend\u2019s Clasico defeat.
\nFerran Torres was also on target for the Catalan giants, who moved back into second place to trail leaders Real Madrid by five points.
\nBarca continued to struggle in defence and Elche had chances to cause an upset, scoring through Rafa Mir, with the striker also twice hitting the woodwork.
\nHansi Flick\u2019s Barca have failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive league games, in the midst of an injury crisis.
\nThe champions were missing Raphinha, Pedri, and Joan Garcia among others, but were able to bring on Robert Lewandowski and
\nDani Olmo following spells out of action.
\nTeenage star Yamal underwhelmed in last week\u2019s defeat by Real Madrid after coming back from a groin issue, but looked more sprightly against Elche.
\n\u201cWe found our spirit and intensity,\u201d Torres told DAZN.
\n\u201cI think we\u2019re finding last year\u2019s Barca, from the first minute to last we gave everything, and we\u2019ll keep doing that.\u201d
\nCoached by Eder Sarabia, a former Barcelona assistant coach under Quique Setien, the ninth-placed visitors came to play and impressed despite defeat.
\nBarca took the lead after nine minutes when Alejandro Balde drove forward and fed Yamal in the area.
\nThe winger took a touch to set himself and then whipped a clinical finish past former Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
\nFlick said Yamal\u2019s groin injury was still an issue that the youngster needs to work on.
\n\u201cHe has to train, have treatments, he has to do this and he did it, it\u2019s a good step forward for him,\u201d explained Flick.
\n\u201cI cannot say it\u2019s over, it\u2019s coming and going like this and he has to manage it.\u201d
\nThree minutes later Torres doubled the hosts\u2019 advantage, tapping home after Fermin Lopez broke into space down the left and provided an inch-perfect cross.
\nPena saved from Torres as Barca squandered some presentable chances to add to their lead.
\nMir, who in October was indicted for sexual assault allegations dating back to 2024, pulled a goal back shortly before half-time.
\nBarca tried to catch the forward offside but he was in his own half when he was played in. Mir bent a shot past Ronald Araujo and
\nBarca goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and in at the far post.
\nTorres might have scored again before the interval but Pena produced a superb save to tip his strike to safety.
\n\u2018Days like this\u2019
\nEarly in the second half Mir clipped the top of the crossbar with a curling effort as Elche battled well.
\nRashford sealed Barca\u2019s victory with a superb finish after Lopez picked him out with a cross, for his second league goal of the campaign.
\n\u201cWhen you see his chances one or two goals more would be good… but we can be happy for him,\u201d said Flick.
\nRashford admitted he could have been even more effective in the final third.
\n\u201cI could have had more assists or goals, sometimes the decision making to shoot or pass was wrong today, but I am going to have days like this,\u201d he told the club\u2019s streaming platform Barca One.
\nVeteran goalkeeper Szczesny pushed a Mir effort onto the post to save Barca sweating over their advantage in the final stages.
\n\u201cWe were ourselves and the fans are proud of how we played,\u201d said Elche coach Sarabia.
\n\u201cWe know that it\u2019s normal that they score goals against us, but we could have got some too.\u201d
\nElsewhere Real Betis rose to fifth with a convincing 3-0 home win over Mallorca, inspired by Brazilian winger Antony.
\nThe former Manchester United forward struck twice and created the third for Ez Abde as the Andalusians moved three points behind Atletico in fourth.
\n\u201cHere I am very happy, I am at home,\u201d said Antony, who flopped at Old Trafford but enjoyed a revival on loan at Betis last season before making the switch permanent.
\n\u201cIt was very important to win today to be up there (in the fight for the top four), we have to be patient and go game by game.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They continued to struggle in defence and Elche had chances to cause an upset BARCELONA Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford struck for Barcelona as they earned a 3-1 win over Elche in La Liga on Sunday to bounce back from last weekend\u2019s Clasico defeat. Ferran Torres was also on target for the Catalan giants, who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":512442,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-512413","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n