Result: FC Barcelona 3-0 Elche
Date: 24 February 2021
Venue: Camp Nou
Lionel Messi grabbed a brace as FC Barcelona moved back into third place with a 3-0 victory over Elche at Nou Camp on Wednesday night.
Barca boss Ronald Koeman made five alterations to his starting lineup with Oscar Mingueza, Samuel Umtiti, Miralem Pjanic, Trincao and Martin Braithwaite coming in.
Elche made four changes as Jose Morente, Guido Carrillo, Dani Calvo and the suspended Ivan Marcone dropped out.
In the third minute, Messi played a first-time pass to Trincao who shot but Edgar Badia saved in the Elche goal. Soon after, Pedri had claims for a penalty but his appeal was waved away.
Ten minutes later, Badia did well to keep it at 0-0. Messi again found Trincão who cut in and fired one but his shot was well saved by the visitors' keeper.
The Catalan giants went closer on 30 minutes, Messi swung in the free-kick and De Jong got his head to the ball but his effort was saved as Alba followed up but his shot blazed over the bar.
It took a moment of magic from Messi to open the scoring just two minutes after the interval. He picked up the ball and ran at the defence, combining with Braithwaithe and netting although Badia got a hand to it.
Barcelona doubled the lead in the 69th minute. Frenkie de Jong went on a brilliant individual run before cutting the ball back to Messi, who took his time before poking the ball past Badia with ice-cold composure.
Soon after, it was 3-0. Messi dinked the ball to the far post for Brathwaite, who headed it back across goal for Jordi Alba to volley into the back of the net emphatically.
With ten minutes to go, Sergio Dest was released down the left and squared for Antoine Griezmann but he hit the bar. And then the French striker played the one-two with Ousmane Dembele and rounded the keeper but hit the side-netting as Barca failed to add more to their tally.
