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| Robert Lewandowski centre-forward of Barcelona and Poland celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the LaLiga Santander match between Elche CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on April 1, 2023 in Elche, Spain. |
Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona eased past Elche to move closer to winning their 27th La Liga title after moving 15 points clear at the top of the league table.
A brace from Robert Lewandowski and a goal each from Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres gave the Catalans a comfortable 4-0 win away from home.
Still riding the high from their win over Real Madrid before the international break, the visitors took just 20 minutes to get on the scoresheet. Lewandowski ended his run of three games without a goal with a close-range strike from Ronald Araujo’s headed pass.
Despite a valiant performance, the home side failed to find an equaliser and Fati dented their hopes further with a goal in the 55th minute with a brilliant solo effort.
Lewandowski then put the game to bed in the 66th minute. Gavi found the Pole in the opposition box and the leading goal scorer in Spain easily beat Edgar Badia for a second time to take his season tally to 17.
Torres then completed the rout in the 70th minute with his third goal of the season.
Elche put up a late fight with Fidel Chaves de la Torre, Raúl Guti and José Antonio Ferrández Pomares all going close but Marc-André ter Stegen remained unbeaten to notch another clean sheet for Barcelona.
Barcelona now leads the table with 71 points, followed by Real Madrid with 56 and Atletico Madrid with 51.
Xavi’s men will next be in action against Madrid in an El Classico to determine the Copa Del Rey finalists.
