Barca wasteful but beat Elche to extend Liga lead

Barcelona spurned some big chances but still moved four points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday with a 3-1 win at Elche, thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford.

Elsewhere third-place Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 at lowly Levante, while Villarreal were also held in a 2-2 draw at Osasuna.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid, second, host Rayo Vallecano on Sunday aiming to reduce the gap to the leaders back to one point.

Hansi Flick’s Barca created several clear opportunities in an entertaining clash but the woodwork and some profligate finishing stopped them from securing a far bigger victory.

Elche, 12th, have impressed this season and created good chances of their own at the Martinez Valero stadium, but Barca were too strong for them, despite some poor finishing.

“In the first half you have to decide this game, I like (it more) when the players turn their chances into goals,” Flick told reporters.

“We created a lot of chances but we missed them in front of goal, this is the bad thing, but in the end I told the team I’m happy with the three points and congratulations on this performance.”

Teenage star Yamal opened the scoring after six minutes after Dani Olmo sent him through on goal. The 18-year-old coolly rounded goalkeeper Inaki Pena, a former Barca player, and slotted home.

Olmo hit the crossbar before Elche equalised with a well-worked move to get Alvaro Rodriguez in behind Barca’s high line.

Torres should have restored the Catalans’ advantage but, in a comical moment, hit the bar from point-blank range and then immediately diverted the rebound against the post.

The Spain international made amends by smashing home after fine work by Frenkie de Jong before the break.

Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Torres all missed good chances for more goals as Barca created danger at will, with Elche coach Eder Sarabia, a former Barca assistant under Quique Setien, sticking with his open style.

Rashford was also guilty of missing a good chance after he came on for Raphinha at half-time, curling past the post as he ran through.

The English winger, on loan from Manchester United, did score Barca’s third, his 10th of the season across all competitions, after Yamal’s cross was blocked and fell nicely to him.

“Normally we have players who finish very well, maybe in a game you miss your chances, but the important thing is that we’re generating them,” De Jong told Movistar.

Atletico, Villarreal drop points

Diego Simeone’s Atletico looked uninspired at Levante as they could only take a point against the team sitting 19th in the table and now lie 10 points behind Barca.

Atletico have won just one game in their last four across all competitions, and in midweek lost against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt to leave them in the Champions League play-offs instead of progressing directly to the last 16.

“It hurts not to get the three points today,” admitted Atletico defender Robin Le Normand.

To make matters worse for Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth and midfielder Pablo Barrios went off injured.

They lost Sorloth after a clash of heads with Matias Moreno and the Norwegian striker was taken to hospital for further tests.

Barrios limped off early in the second half and Atletico, who had started well, struggled to create many openings after that, missing the energetic midfielder.

Simeone, who has pushed for Atletico to sign more players, said the potential injury absences would force him to think about what to do.

“It enhances creativity, the coach’s work. As a coach, it’s good to be challenged to improve, and this helps me improve,” he said.

Gerard Moreno netted twice for Villarreal but they could only manage to draw at Osasuna, unable to capitalise on Espanyol’s defeat to fully consolidate their position in fourth.

Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side are eight points ahead of fifth-place Espanyol, who lost 2-1 at home against Alaves on Friday.

For a while this season, Villarreal seemed to be on the fringes of the title race but two defeats and a draw in their last three La Liga outings have diminished those notions.

“We wanted to win but I think we have to leave satisfied, because we got a point after two games without (getting any),” Moreno told Movistar.