Barcelona Player Ratings vs Elche: Rashford Sends Transfer Message as Yamal Bounces Back with Key Goal in 3–1 Win

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Barcelona kept their La Liga title hopes alive with a hard-fought 3–1 win over Elche on Sunday evening, thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford.

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The result saw Hansi Flick’s side reduce Real Madrid’s lead at the top of the table to just five points after 11 games, as they look to rebuild momentum following an inconsistent start to the season.

Yamal Opens the Scoring, Rashford Delivers Again

Barça started brightly at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, taking the lead after just nine minutes. Alejandro Balde, alert to a poor Elche pass, drove forward with blistering pace before setting up Lamine Yamal, who curled a beautiful finish into the far corner — a fine way to move on from the off-field attention surrounding his split from singer Nicki Nicole.

Three minutes later, it was 2–0. Fermin López, one of Barça’s most consistent performers this season, sliced open Elche’s defence with a clever low cross that found Ferran Torres at the back post. The Spaniard made no mistake, netting his fifth La Liga goal of the campaign.

But just before half-time, Elche struck back through Rafa Mir, who beat Ronald Araújo for pace and rifled a superb strike into the corner. The visitors nearly equalized early in the second half when Mir’s long-range shot clattered off the crossbar — a warning sign for Barça’s shaky defence.

Then came the moment that settled the contest. On loan from Manchester United, Marcus Rashford — determined to earn a permanent move to Catalonia — latched onto López’s through ball and unleashed a thunderous effort that cannoned in off the bar. A statement finish and a reminder of his world-class potential.

Yamal’s composed finish gave Barcelona the perfect start against Elche.

Barcelona Player Ratings vs Elche (La Liga)

Goalkeeper & Defence

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Wojciech Szczęsny (7/10)
Reliable and composed throughout. Made two sharp saves to deny Rafa Mir and kept Barça steady when Elche threatened to level.

Jules Koundé (6/10)
Not his best display. Struggled to contain Mir’s movement but compensated with vital interventions late on.

Ronald Araújo (5/10)
At fault for Elche’s goal — played Mir onside and didn’t close him down quickly enough. Needs to rediscover his usual authority.

Eric García (6/10)
Mixed afternoon. Read danger well at times but occasionally caught out of position. Still a dependable rotational option.

Alejandro Balde (7/10)
Electrifying in attack, setting up Yamal’s opener with raw pace and precision. Needs to tighten up defensively, but his forward energy remains vital.

Midfield

Frenkie de Jong (6/10)
A quiet performance by his standards. Kept the tempo ticking but lacked the driving influence he often provides from deep.

Marc Casadó (6/10)
Worked hard to shield the defence, but the midfield lacked Pedri’s creativity in transitions. Functional, not flashy.

Fermin López (8/10) ⭐ Man of the Match
Two assists, both moments of genuine class. His movement, vision, and intensity are making him undroppable. Barça’s breakout star this season.

Attack

Lamine Yamal (7/10)
Showed maturity beyond his years with a composed finish for the opener. After a difficult personal week, responded in the perfect way — with quality and character.

Ferran Torres (7/10)
Clinical for the second goal and full of intent. Could have scored again but found Elche’s keeper in inspired form.

Marcus Rashford (7/10)
The Manchester United loanee looked dangerous throughout. Took his goal brilliantly — a rocket off the crossbar — and continues to strengthen his case for a permanent deal. Needs to release the ball quicker at times, but the confidence is back.

Fermin López ran the show with two creative assists in another impressive display.

Substitutes & Manager

Robert Lewandowski (5/10)
Barely influenced the game after replacing Rashford. Looks short on sharpness.

Gerard Martín (6/10)
Solid contribution from the bench. Helped stabilize the midfield late on.

Dani Olmo (6/10)
Energetic but couldn’t quite replicate López’s creativity. Still finding rhythm after injury.

Dro Fernández (N/A)
Introduced too late to make a mark.

Roony Bardghji (N/A)
A brief cameo in stoppage time.

Hansi Flick (7/10)
Set his team up well for an attacking performance. Barça dominated the first half but wobbled briefly after the break. His tactical switches weren’t as effective, but three goals and three points will please the German boss.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona cut Real Madrid’s lead to five points after another home victory.

Final Verdict

Barcelona weren’t perfect, but they were clinical. Yamal’s spark, López’s creativity, and Rashford’s explosive finish gave Flick’s men the edge they needed.

If Rashford keeps scoring like this, a permanent move from Manchester United could soon be more than just talk. And as Barça continue to chase Real Madrid, performances like this show the team’s growing confidence — even if the defence still needs tightening up.

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