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Barcelona went high of LaLiga forward of Real Madrid after a commanding efficiency towards Elche, who went all the way down to 10 males after Gonzalo Verdu acquired a purple within the 14th minute.
– Report: Barca 3-0 Elche | LaLiga table | Upcoming fixtures
Robert Lewandowski scored a brace, with Memphis Depay additionally getting on the rating sheet and netting his first of the season. Verdu’s purple card prevented a goal-scoring alternative for Lewandowski, who was by means of on objective had it not been for Verdu’s lunging problem from behind. Elche have been totally shut out and didn’t handle to get a shot on course the entire match.
JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Post-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures
Rapid Reaction
1. Lewandowski is Barca’s important man
Barcelona bounced again from defeat to Bayern Munich in midweek with one other resounding victory in LaLiga. They have now scored three or extra objectives in 5 consecutive league video games for the primary time for the reason that 2017/18 season.
A big a part of that’s all the way down to Lewandowski, whose brace towards Elche took his tally for the season to 11 in all competitions. The Poland striker additionally turns into the primary Barca participant apart from Lionel Messi to attain in 5 straight LaLiga matches since Luis Suarez, which scored in eight in a row through the 2017-18 marketing campaign.
In simply two months, Lewandowski has already established himself because the chief of this Barca aspect. Coach Xavi Hernandez purrs about his affect on the opposite gamers, the recommendation he offers to the younger gamers and the best way he conducts himself each day. His objectives clearly assist, too. That is now 10 or extra membership objectives in all competitions for a twelfth straight season. His newest brace takes Barca to the highest of LaLiga, pending how Real Madrid get on towards Atletico Madrid in Sunday’s derby.
2. Alejandro Balde proves left-back place is his
Jordi Alba was named within the Spain squad on Friday for the upcoming worldwide break, however he can’t get a glance in at Barca in the mean time. That is due to the type of 18-year-old Balde, referred to as up by Spain U21s, who as soon as once more justified Xavi’s religion in him towards Elche.
Balde, who got here by means of Barca’s academy, arrange the opening objective for Lewandowski and the second for Memphis, taking his help complete for the marketing campaign to 3. He carried a continuing risk on the left, though it stays to be seen how he’ll rise up defensively in more durable video games.
It’s not simply Alba, offering competitors for Balde, both. Marcos Alonso has additionally arrived from Chelsea. Alonso performed in midweek towards Bayern, however Balde has now began 5 straight league video games for the Catalans. The battle for the left-back spot in Barca’s group guarantees to be fascinating this yr.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.)
3. Elche are early favourites for relegation
It is shaping as much as be an extended season for Elche, who stay winless after six video games within the Primera Division and now sit backside of the desk after Cadiz beat Real Valladolid on Friday to leapfrog them.
Facing an in-form Barcelona at Camp Nou was all the time going to be powerful, however it turned quite a bit more durable when Gonzalo Verdu was despatched off in simply the 14th minute. Verdu hauled down Lewandowski as he raced on to a Frenkie de Jong by means of ball. It was a transparent dismissal and Elche’s second within the league this season.
Later within the first half, Elche supervisor Francisco was additionally given his marching orders for one thing he mentioned to the match officers. Elche are going to should preserve their heads in the event that they wish to climb up the desk after the worldwide break.
Player rankings
Barcelona: Ter Stegen 6; Kounde 7, Araujo 6, Garcia 6, Balde 8; De Jong 7, Kessie 5, Pedri 8; Dembele 7, Lewandowski 8, Memphis 6
Substitutes: Gavi 6, Ansu 6, Raphinha 6, Bellerin 6, Torres 6
Elche: Badia 6; Palacios 5, Chetauya 5, Verdu 2, Bigas 5, Clerc 6; Tete Moreno 5, Guti 5, Gumbau 6, Fidel 5; Boye 5
Substitutes: Mercau 6, Quina 6, Ponce 5, Josan 5, Gonzalez 5
Best and worst performers
BEST: Pedri: Lewandowski’s objectives will as soon as once more take the headlines however Pedri, as soon as once more, was unbelievable. His capability to learn house and time by no means ceases to amaze and he produced mouth-watering go after mouth-watering go, which both helped create the Barca objectives or led to clear probabilities which weren’t taken.
WORST: Verdu: You can perceive why, given how shortly he needed to decide, he took Lewandowski down, however as soon as he had executed, Elche confronted a near-impossible process to carry out for an additional 75 minutes.
Highlights and notable moments
Elche went all the way down to 10 males after 14 minutes into the match after Gonzalo Verdu’s problem on Lewandowski.
Elche are all the way down to 10-men vs. Barcelona 😬 pic.twitter.com/KVLaEBQSun
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 17, 2022
Depay made it 2-0 for Barcelona and scored his first objective of the season.
1:01
Memphis Depay makes use of fast footwork so as to add to Barcelona’s lead over Elche.
After the match: What the managers mentioned
“It was an essential win. Elche have been very defensive at the beginning with 5 on the again, however we additionally misplaced the ball an excessive amount of. In the top, it was a barely extra simpler recreation than we anticipated. It would have been extra difficult towards 11. After the purple card it turns into extra positional. We loved outselves within the second half.” – Xavi
“I’m joyful for him. He has nice high quality and character. It by no means ceases to amaze that an 18-year-old can play at that degree. Physically he’s wonderful and he’s going to offer us quite a bit. We have three left-backs at a rare degree, with Jordi and Marcos as properly.” – Xavi on Balde
“I’m not in any respect apprehensive about my future. While the gamers nonetheless imagine in us and what we’re doing, we’re not going to surrender.” – Elche coach Francisco Segura
Key stats (offered by ESPN Stats & Information)
– Lewandowski has scored 10+ membership objectives for the twelfth straight season (all comps). The final time he failed to take action was in his first season with Dortmund in 2010-11 (9 objectives).
– Memphis Depay scored his first objective of this season; he led the membership in objectives final season.
– Elche acquired a straight purple card for the second time in league play this season, tied with Espanyol for many within the league.
– Robert Lewandowski has his third league brace of the season. No one else in LaLiga has greater than 1 brace this season.
Up subsequent
Barcelona: The Blaugrana go to Mallorca on Oct. 1, adopted by a go to to Inter Milan within the Champions League on Oct. 4 earlier than going to Real Madrid for the primary El Clasico of the season.
Elche: Struggling Elche sit final within the LaLiga desk, and are subsequent in motion on Oct. 3, once they journey to Rayo Vallecano. Then they face Mallorca at residence on Oct. 10 earlier than a go to to Valencia on Oct. 16.
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2022-09-19 00:31:51