At this point in the course, each victory for Barça means an acceleration towards the long-awaited League title. A goal that seems increasingly achievable after Xavi's team thrashed the evicted Elche at will. The Catalans are now allowed to start discounting games, putting maximum pressure on Real Madrid, who this Sunday will jump to play against Valladolid fifteen points behind the head.
There are many positive edges left by Barça's triumph. Especially in attack, where the three strikers scored, ending their respective droughts. Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres hadn't scored in the league since October, and top scorer Lewandowski hadn't increased his tally for a month and a half.
And it is that Barça lived a very placid night in Elche, a city resigned to losing the category, which not even the Negeira case excites enough to fight against its destiny. The Elche public did find the strength to whistle at Gavi, who seems to be accompanied by a shadow of doubt “because he is a Barça player”, according to his coach. The truth is that the youth squad player responded on the field with an exhibition that left Xavi more than calm.
With the classic cup bearer just around the corner and the casualties that continue to plague his squad -up to five starters stayed in Barcelona-, Xavi had no choice but to shake up his team as tractors do with the vines in the middle of the harvest . The result was an eleven between experimental and innovative, highlighting the presence of Eric Garcia as a center midfielder to rest Busquets, Martorell's much more comfortable filtering passes than as the last man.
The Catalans came out well planted, connected to the game, aware that the night was not for flourishes but for a lot of work and concentration. Elche debuted, bottom without discussion, his sixth coach of the course but Beccacece was not able to turn the sock around either. The difficulties that Koundé faced on the wing against Blanco were his only argument.
The meritorious initial stretch of Barça was drawn by Gavi. He always the first to defend. He always the first to press, infecting his teammates. And always the fastest with the ball at his feet, finding spaces behind his rivals. He teamed up well with an overly diesel Ansu Fati, who lost a lot of balls but hit the switch in the second half, signing the second for Barça after good driving.
The dominance of Xavi's men was indisputable and they didn't take too long to transfer it to the scoreboard. It was on a blackboard play. A free kick that Alba put in the area, that Araújo gave up to the front of the little girl and that Lewandowski sent into the net with a shot that was as little academic as it was effective.
The goal certainly had an anesthetic effect, as if having done the most difficult thing, opening the can, was enough to take the three points to Barcelona. Then Elche tried to grow, which was seen to have all its shortcomings, and which on top of that ran into a once again majestic Araújo.
Despite everything, Barça was able to go to the locker room with the victory in their pocket, the Catalans being able to manufacture two great chances out of nowhere almost on the horn. But Lewandowski did not hit the header against the great center of Ferran Torres and Koundé was denied on the line by Mascarell when he was already singing the second.
The break took effect for Barça, which certified their walk in a very accurate second half. He dribbled the scare in one of those plays that change games, like Carmona's, who was injured in the middle of the race just when he was facing Ter Stegen and Martínez Valero dreamed of an equalizer. Immediately afterwards came the goal from Ansu Fati, who was allowed to drive the ball as if it were carrying Miss Daisy, who had just knocked down Elche. The tireless Gavi stole the ball that Lewandowski turned into the third and the noted Ferran Torres also fixed his night with the fourth. Everything was happiness in the leader.
The victory was finished by Ter Stegen, who prevented Josan from raising the honor. Barça's goal looks like a cement wall in this League, a tournament that Xavi's team is already sniffing at.
0 - Elche: Edgar Badía, Palacios, Bigas, Mascarell, Lautaro Blanco (Nico, min. 65), Tete Morente (Josan, min. 65), Carmona (Guti, min. 54), Gumbau, Clerc, Fidel and Pere Milla (Ponce, min. 78).
4 - Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo (Pablo Torre, min. 77), Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba; Eric García, Sergi Roberto, Gavi (Kessie, min. 68); Ferran Torres, Lewandowski y Ansu Fati (Aleix Garrido, min. 84).
Goals: 0-1, min. 20: Lewandowski. 0-2, min. 55: Ansu Fati. 0-3, min. 66: Lewandowski. 0-4, min. 70: Ferran Towers.
Referee: Del Cerro Grande (Madrid Committee). He showed a yellow card to Gavi, Araujo and Lewandowski for Barcelona.
Incidents: match corresponding to the twenty-seventh day of the National League Championship played at the Martínez Valero stadium in Elche before 28,142 spectators.
