With a convincing 4-0 victory against Elche on Saturday, Barcelona extended its lead over the competition in La Liga to 15 points. Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the match.
In his first game in charge, new Sevilla coach Jose Luis Mendilibar earned an important 2-0 win against Cadiz thanks to goals from Lucas Ocampos and Youssef En-Nesyri.
Lewandowski, a Polish striker for Barca, had lately seen a little drop in performance, but he was back to his deadly best to help the Catalans continue their march toward their first championship since 2019.
In addition, Ansu Fati scored his first league goal since October, and Ferran Torres completed the easy victory, allowing Xavi to start several of his backup players ahead of Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semifinal match against Real Madrid.
Elche, who are now last in the league and are making their debut under new coach Sebastian Beccacece, never appeared likely to pose a threat to the league’s undisputed front-runners. The second-placed Champions Madrid will visit Real Valladolid on Sunday.
Tomorrow, we’ll see how Madrid performs, but if we win our games, we’ll be champions, “According to Eric Garcia, Movistar.
“Everyone is important, the coach informed us all at the beginning of the season.
He was able to rest certain players since we have a crucial game on Wednesday.”
Sergio Busquets’ normal pivot position was filled by Garcia as Barcelona coach Xavi experimented with many different side adjustments.
On the wings, Torres and Fati got the start. Fati gained notoriety this week when his father voiced his displeasure over the Barcelona number 10’s insufficient playing time.
“(Goals) usually boost the forwards’ confidence, and today it worked out wonderfully, “Telling Movistar, Xavi.
Two goals for Robert, one each for Ferran, Ansu, and his labor left him fatigued, the truth be told.
“Aside from the goal, it is really encouraging for him and his confidence. It’s crucial for me to see how he works for the team, and the goal is the result of his hard effort and skill.
“I’m particularly pleased for Ferran and Ansu, the guys who may have earned goals tonight.”
After 20 minutes, Lewandowski scored his first league goal in four games, scuffing a finish into the ground and sending the ball looping over a defender and into the net.
The league’s leading scorer, a Polish international, scored his 16th and 17th goals of the year, giving him a total of 27 goals in all competitions.
In the first half, Barcelona could have extended their advantage but Lewandowski missed with a nudge and Jules Kounde’s shot was blocked.
Barca recorded its 20th clean sheet of the season in the top tier thanks to Gavi’s orchestration and Garcia’s reliable play in the middle of the field.
Ten minutes into the second half, Fati increased Barcelona’s lead by advancing from the halfway point and smashing the ball into the bottom corner.
Once Valencia recovered possession of the ball, Lewandowski pounced once again to score the third and then set up Torres, who dribbled inside to score the fourth.
In the very end, Xavi gave 19-year-old midfielder Aleix Garrido his professional debut.
With 11 games left, Elche is 14 points from achieving safety.
Seville defeated Cadiz.
The Andalusian derby between Cadiz and Sevilla was Mendilibar’s first test since taking over for Jorge Sampaoli during the break.
For the first time since October, his squad triumphed on the road in La Liga by putting on a return-to-basics performance to climb into midtable.
In a close first half that the hosts edged, Sevilla struggled to generate opportunities, but Ocampos scored shortly after the intermission on a corner kick rebound.
Bryan Gil cushioned the ball into En-path Nesyri’s with a great touch, allowing him to finish effectively and increase his team’s advantage.
Cadiz is in 16th place, two points above the drop zone, while Sevilla has moved up to 13th, five points above the relegation zone.
Girona, in 10th place, defeated Espanyol 2-1 in a Catalan derby match, dropping the Pericos to 17th place, one point above the drop zone.
Against Athletic Bilbao, Getafe achieved a respectable 0-0 draw and are now ranked 14.