Barca blank Elche, Hazard and Benzema help Real hit Alaves for four
Barcelona won again without the suspended Lionel Messi on Sunday as goals from Frenkie de Jong and Riqui Puig were enough to secure a scruffy 2-0 win over Elche in La Liga.
De Jong poked the ball over the line just before half-time at the Martinez Valero, which would have proved a suitably scrappy winner before Puig came off the bench to head in a second late on.
Despite an uninspiring performance, Ronald Koeman will be relieved to see Barca make it two consecutive victories without Messi and since their loss in the Spanish Super Cup final last weekend to Athletic Bilbao, ater an extra-time victory over Cornella in midweek.
Messi is still serving his punishment for being sent off in Seville but the Argentinian will be available again for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey tie away at Rayo Vallecano.
In his absence, De Jong stepped up, continuing his own resurgence in recent weeks with one of the simplest goals he will ever score and then an assist, following a more impressive run and cross for Puig.
“We are a beter this year. We’ve had to play all our games away and in La Liga we have won all of them so I think we have done well,” said De Jong. “For me, playing beter is not just about goals and assists but I’m happy of course to score and assist today.”
The win moves Barca back up to third in La Liga, three points behind Real Madrid and seven adrit of leaders Atletico Madrid, who have two games in hand. Atletico play one of them at home to Valencia later on Sunday.
Elche stay 19th, without a league win since October.
De Jong stabbed in on the line in the 39th minute for what was about to be an own-goal ater Diego Gonzalez diverted Martin Braithwaite’s cross towards his own net.
Elche’s big chance came just before the hour ater Oscar Mingueza failed to control Samuel Umititi’s awkward pass. Emiliano Rigoni went one-on-one with Marc-andre ter Stegen but the goalkeeper saved with his right foot.
Trincao twice went close to a second before Puig made sure, De Jong driving clear down the right before chipping a pass into the box for the 21-year-old to head home.
Eden Hazard scored his first goal in almost three months while Karim Benzema bagged a brace as Real eased to a 4-1 win away to Alaves in the absence of coach Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane tested positive for COVID-19 the day before the game so assistant David Betoni took charge of the team instead and his side got off to a strong start when Casemiro headed in a Toni Kroos cross in the 15th minute.
Benzema curled into the top corner in the 41st ater a neat backheel lay off from Hazard, who then scored his second goal of the season and his first since neting against Huesca on Oct. 31 to further stretch Real’s advantage just before the break.
Former Real youth player Joselu pulled a goal back for Alaves in the 59th minute, powering in a header from a free kick, but Benzema rounded off the victory for second-placed Real with an exquisite solo run and goal in the 70th minute.
The victory eased the pain of Wednesday’s shock 2-1 defeat to third division Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey as well as their Spanish Super Cup loss to Athletic Bilbao and took Real on to 40 points, closing the gap with leaders Atletico Madrid to four.
Diego Simeone’s side have two games in hand, however, and can restore their advantage at the top to seven points when they play Valencia on Sunday.
“This was a great performance from us and will lit our confidence,” said Benzema ater his side earned only their second victory from their last six games in all competitions.
“We know every game is difficult, we always try to put in our best performance but sometimes it’s hard when teams defend deep. But today the goals kept flowing and that’s good for everyone, especially ater the week we’ve had.” Despite an uninspiring performance, Ronald Koeman will be relieved to see Barca make it two consecutive victories without Messi and since their loss in the Spanish Super Cup final last weekend to Athletic Bilbao