Riqui Puig has scored a goal for Barcelona! Assist by F. de Jong.
De Jong runs through the Elche defence and lifts a perfect cross for Puig to score.
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! PUIG HEADS HOME!!! 2-0 BARCELONA!!! Puig comes off the bench and makes an impact to notch the decisive second goal for the visitors. De Jong is the architect with a fine run into the right inside channel. He clips a cross to the back post for Puig to attack, and the midfielder makes no mistake nodding his effort into the top-left corner.
87'
Riqui Puig enters the game and replaces Pedri.
Puig replaces Pedri for the closing stages of the contest.
85'
Pedri wins the ball in the middle of the park and has support in the form of Griezmann. He just overhits his throughball to the forward and allows Badia to gather in the box.
84'
A. Griezmann gets yellow.
Griezmann slides in hard on Marcone and goes into the book.
82'
Nino enters the game and replaces Víctor Rodríguez.
Nino replaces Rodriguez for the home side.
81'
Trincao and Pedrii exchange passes in the final third, but there is little support for the duo. An offload from Pedri towards Alba is cleared by Barragan.
79'
Almiron will be pleased with his side's efforts defensively, but will be demanding more in the final 10 minutes to press for an equaliser.
77'
Elche will still have belief that they can earn a share of the spoils here. Barcelona have shown very little threat in the final third in the second half.
Minute
Description
75'
Luismi enters the game and replaces E. Rigoni.
Luismi is on for Rigoni in the final third for Elche.
74'
Trincão enters the game and replaces O. Dembélé.
Tete Morente enters the game and replaces Raúl Guti.
Tete Morente replaces Raul Guti for the home side.
Dembele is withdrawn for Trincao in the final third.
73'
Pedri charges into the Elche box and tries to send a ball across the face of goal from the left inside channel. Josan blocks the cross with his arm and it travels behind. The referee deems that the Elche man was too close to Pedri for a penalty to be awarded and points for a corner.
72'
Braithwaite takes on Gonzalez in the final third and breaks into the right inside channel. He tries to force a low ball towards Griezmann, but Verdu makes the interception in the middle.
71'
Dembele has space on the right flank and he whips a cross into the box. Griezmann tries to attack it, but it sails over his head and into the hands of Badia.
70'
Neither side have been able to find the answers to their solutions in the second half. Elche are still trailing, while Barca have not been able to put the game beyond the reach of the home side. We're set for an interesting final 20 minutes.
68'
Sergio Busquets gets yellow.
Busquets pulls down Barragan moving forward down the right flank and goes into the book.
67'
Pedri makes a good run through the heart of the Elche midfield. He lines up a drive that deflects off Rodriguez and travels towards the target. Badia watches it all the way and claims it before it can travel behind.
64'
The game is still in the balance and Koeman may be considering his options to find the decisive second goal.
60'
Josan is caught by Busquets in the middle of the park, but the Barcelona man escapes a booking.
58'
Rigoni should have levelled the scores there. Elche will not have many better opportunities. Barca are fortunate the home side were unable to capitalise on that defensive lapse.
55'
Pedri scoops a ball over the top for Griezmann to chase. Gonzalez stretches to clear ahead of the forward, but it deflects off the Frenchman and travels just over the bar.
53'
The second half appears to be following the same pattern as the first. Barcelona are comfortable in possession without being overly creative.
51'
Raul Guti lines up a strike to nothing from 20 yards after being teed up by Josan, but he drags his strike wide of the right post.
49'
De Jong appeals for a penalty as the ball rises and strikes Gonzalez on the hand after the Dutchman miscontrols in the box. However, the referee dismisses their claim.
48'
Griezmann sends Alba down the left inside channel and he fires a low ball across the face of goal, but there's no Barca player on hand to capitalise.
46'
We're back underway in this LaLiga clash.
45'
HALF-TIME: ELCHE 0-1 BARCELONA
A mistake from Rodriguez almost allows Pedri to send Griezmann through on goal, but the ball has just too much pace on it, allowing Badia to gather.
43'
Elche will have to break out of their defensive strategy in the second half. They've been a bit too passive and have paid the price.
39'
F. de Jong has scored a goal for Barcelona!
GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!! DE JONG CONVERTS ON THE LINE! 1-0 BARCELONA!!! The Dutchman capitalises on a slice from Gonzalez and slots the ball over the line. Braithwaite delivers a brilliant cross in from the left flank towards the run of Griezmann. Gonzalez has to act to prevent the ball from reaching the Frenchman. However, he slices his clearance towards his own goal and it almost travels over the line, although De Jong is on hand to ensure that the visitors take the lead.
35'
Dembele and Mojica have a tangle of legs down the right flank, but the referee awards a free-kick to the visitors. Elche are not thrilled with the decision.
32'
Elche are not offering a great deal going forward, but considering their recent form, Almiron will be satisfied with their display at the back.
30'
Barca try to work through Dembele, but the Elche defence is out to the winger to suppress his threat before he can advance further into the final third.
27'
Elche are proving a tough nut to crack for the visitors. There's no pace or fluidity to Barca's game at the moment.
25'
Dembele cuts inside from the right flank with menace and tries to carve out space for a strike on his left foot. However, he gets crowded out and dispossessed before he can pull the trigger.
24'
Rigoni catches Mingueza from behind and concedes a free-kick. Dembele lifts the set-piece into the box, but the home side are able to clear the danger.
22'
There has not been a great tempo to the contest. It has been a stop-start game, which will play into the hands of the home side rather than Barca.
17'
Barcelona probe down the left after Braithwaite wins a free-kick. Griezmann digs out a cross from the left inside channel, but the home side clear their lines from the goalline.
15'
Dembele twists and turns on the edge of the Elche box, but he sees his effort charged down. Alba digs out a cross from deep, aiming towards Araujo. Badia comes off his line and claims well under pressure.
14'
Josan stretches to prevent Alba from latching onto De Jong's ball over the top down the left flank, although he concedes a corner in the process.
11'
Rodriguez brings down De Jong in the Elche half, handing Barca a free-kick in a useful position.
9'
De Jong applies pressure with a run at the Elche defence, but he loses out under duress from Verdu and the ball travels behind for a goal-kick.
7'
Mingueza is played into space down the right flank, but he gets his cross all wrong, sending it behind for a goal-kick.
5'
Barca press down the left flank and win a corner as Dembele's cross strikes the legs of Barragan.
2'
Boye tries to release Mojica into space down the left flank, but the full-back is caught offside.
1'
We're underway in this LaLiga contest.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the LaLiga clash between Elche and Barcelona at the Martinez Valero.
Elche are winless in their last 12 matches in LaLiga, which has left the club sitting in 18th place in the table. Last time out they did storm into a 2-0 lead against Real Valladolid courtesy of a brace from Josan Fernandez. However, Valladolid battled back to earn a share of the spoils. Jorge Almiron is under pressure and needs a positive result to guide the newly-promoted side away from danger at the foot of the table.
Barcelona made hard work of their Copa del Rey clash against Cornella on the road. The third-tier outfit forced extra-time before Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite secured the win for the Catalan club. Ronald Koeman's side have won their last three league matches on the bounce, but they remain 10 points of the pace of Atletico Madrid at the top of LaLiga. They need to keep up the pressure today.
ELCHE SUBS: Diego Rodriguez, Nina, Pere Milla, Tete Morente, Luismi, Jeison Lucumi, Cifu, Josema, John Donald, Gerard Barri, Jose Salinas.
BARCELONA (4-2-3-1): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Oscar Mingueza, Ronald Araujo, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong; Antoine Griezmann, Pedri, Ousmane Dembele; Martin Braithwaite.
BARCELONA SUBS: Sergino Dest, Miralem Pjanic, Riqui Puig, Neto, Clement Lenglet, Trincao, Matheus Fernandes, Junior Firpo, Konrad De la Fuente, Aranu Tenas.
ELCHE (4-4-2): Edgar Badia; Antonio Barragan, Gonzalo Verdu, Diego Gonzalez, Johan Mojica; Josan, Ivan Marcone, Raul Guit, Victor Rodriguez; Emiliano Rigoni, Lucas Boye.
Elche have been too passive in their approach against a weakened Barca without Messi. They've had a couple of moments through Raul Guti and Josan Fernandez, but need to be braver in the second half to get back into the contest.
Elche are next in action in LaLiga against Valencia on the road next Saturday. Barcelona take on Rayo Vallecano in the Copa del Rey on the road on Wednesday.
Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Until next time, goodbye.
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