Teenage star Lamine Yamal opened the scoring six minutes later, laying the foundations for Barcelona’s convincing victory.
Published February 1, 2026
Lamine Yamal scored one goal and created another as Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 3-1 win over Elche on Saturday.
Barcelona have 55 points after 22 games, four points ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Elche remained in 12th place with 24 points after 22 games.
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Yamal scored the first goal for the visitors, but Alvaro Rodríguez equalized for Elche just before the end of the first half.
Goals from Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford sealed the victory, avoiding a needless blush for Barça, who had 30 shots on goal in the game.
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong said: “We got three more points. We continue to grow as a team. We haven’t reached our peak yet.”
“We usually have people who do well. Sometimes they fail. What’s important is that they (have a chance).”
Yamal sets the mood
Barcelona took the lead within six minutes when Dani Olmo slotted Yamal into the net for his 13th goal of the season in all competitions, past 18-year-old goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
Midway through the first half, Olmo hit a shot that hit the crossbar and Elche equalized within a minute.
German Varela slotted former Real Madrid forward Rodríguez behind the Barcelona defence, and finished brilliantly.
The visitors should have regained the lead when Torres again hit the crossbar from six yards out. The ball bounced off him and he hit it against the post in a comical series of plays.
Torres scored in the 40th minute when De Jong found space in the box and, rather than take the shot himself, he passed the ball back to his forward and fired a shot into the roof of the net from 15 yards.
It should have been 3-1 minutes later when Fermín López somehow sent the ball over the crossbar from six yards out and the goal was empty.
Barcelona continued to create chances in the second half, but substitute Rashford’s shot went wide and narrowly beat the goalkeeper.
However, Rashford scored in the 72nd minute, but Yamal’s low cross was not cleared by the Elche defense and the England international forward smashed the ball into the roof of the net from close range.
“Barça’s attack is very good,” Rodriguez said. “They have very good players, but it shouldn’t have happened. We will continue to strive to do better.”
