Barcelona continue revival with hard-fought win over Elche


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Barcelona fought back from a goal down to earn an entertaining 2-1 win against Elche on Sunday.

A late penalty from Memphis Depay saw Barca continue their revival after a rough start to the season.

The Catalans had fallen as low as ninth back in November, following which former coach Ronald Koeman was fired. However new manager Xavi Hernandez seems to have re-energised the Spanish giants, who are in top-four contention.

Mid-table Elche opened the scoring right before halftime when Pedri tried to clear the ball but gifted a perfect assist to Fidel Chavez, who scored with an angled shot just inside the right post.

Barca then came storming back with two smart substitutes.

Ferran Torres diverted in from close range on the hour before Depay scored an 84th-minute penalty after the striker had drawn Elche's Antonio Barragan into a handball.

It also continues an impressive run of form for Xavi's side, who have not lost in the league since December and came into this game having scored four times in three consecutive games for the first time since 2017.

Barcelona had the better of the chances in the first half, the best of them coming to Frenkie de Jong, who failed to beat Edgar Badia.

Then Ousmane Dembele sprinted clear and his lifted shot was parried out to De Jong, whose follow-up was cleared off the line by Diego Gonzalez.

Elche then landed a surprise blow before half-time as Barca failed to deal with a straightforward goal kick. Amid the confusion, Pedri poked the ball past his own defence and through to Fidel, who took a touch and fired into the far corner.

Barcelona equalised on the hour as they worked the ball from left to right. Dembele drove to the line and sent in a cross. Jordi Alba was unable to intercept cleanly but Torres was in position to steer in.

Elche started to tire with Barca pushing for a winner. In the 82nd minute they got their chance as Depay wriggled around Barragan, the ball popped up and Barragan instinctively lifted his arm to meet it.

The referee consulted the replay, pointed to the spot and Depay swept the penalty into the top corner.

There was more late drama to come as Alba and Sergio Busquets both saw penalty claims for handballs waved away before Guido Carrillo headed towards the corner in the 94th minute. Marc-Andre ter Stegen dived and Barca held on for victory.

"Handballs inside the box can always be discussed," Ter Stegen told reporters.

"Players can't take their arms off their bodies inside the area. I think the referee made the right decisions."

PROFILE

Name: Enhance Fitness 

Year started: 2018 

Based: UAE 

Employees: 200 

Amount raised: $3m 

Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors 

Who is Allegra Stratton?

 

  • Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
  • Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
  • In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
  • The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
  • Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
  • She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
  • Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

The lowdown

Rating: 4/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

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Updated: March 06, 2022, 6:07 PM`