The Japan Times - Barca beat Elche to recover from Clasico loss

Ferran Torres was also on target for the Catalan giants, who moved back into second place to trail leaders Real Madrid by five points.

Barca continued to struggle in defence and Elche had chances to cause an upset, scoring through Rafa Mir, with the striker also twice hitting the woodwork.

Hansi Flick's Barca have failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive league games, in the midst of an injury crisis.

The champions were missing Pedri, Gavi, and Joan Garcia among others, but were able to bring on Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo following spells out of action.

Teenage star Yamal underwhelmed in last week's defeat by Real Madrid after coming back from a groin issue, but looked more spritely against Elche.

Coached by Eder Sarabia, a former Barcelona assistant coach under Quique Setien, the ninth-placed visitors came to play and impressed.

Barca took the lead after nine minutes when Alejandro Balde drove forward and fed Yamal in the area.

The winger took a touch to set himself and then whipped a clinical finish past former Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena, a team-mate of his last season.

Three minutes later Torres doubled the hosts' advantage, tapping home after Fermin Lopez broke into space down the left and provided an inch-perfect cross.

The striker revealed a t-shirt paying tribute to Valencia, his home region, a year on from the deadly flooding which hit Spain's east coast.

Lopez and Rashford fired narrowly off-target while Pena saved from Torres as Barca squandered some presentable chances.

Mir, who in October was indicted for sexual assault allegations dating back to 2024, pulled a goal back shortly before half-time.

Barca tried to catch the forward offside but he was in his own half when he was played in. Mir bent a shot past Ronald Araujo and Barca goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and in at the far post.

Torres might have scored again before the interval but Pena produced a superb save to tip his strike to safety.

Early in the second half Mir clipped the top of the crossbar with a curling effort as Elche battled well.

Rashford sealed Barca's victory with a superb finish after Lopez picked him out with a cross, for his second league goal of the campaign.

Veteran goalkeeper Szczesny pushed a Mir effort onto the post to save Barca sweating over their advantage in the final stages.

T.Kobayashi--JT