Raphinha and Lopez score braces as Barcelona trounce Elche 5-0

By Al Jazeera Staff and AFP. Published On 23 Aug 202623 Aug 2026.

Key points

• Karim Adeyemi additionally identified the net on his debut as Barca created light work of a vulnerable Elche side at Martinez Valero Stadium.
• Raphinha was cut down in the box by Victor Chust and stroked home the resulting penalty after 14 minutes to obtain Flick's team on their way.
• This person endured a tough summer after missing Spain's World Cup triumph through injury, for his second to seal Barcelona's comfortable triumph.
• Hansi Flick began with a number of regular starters on the bench as they continue to obtain up to speed after the World Cup.
• Rapid winger Adeyemi, playing on the left, began shakily but grew into the game and doubled Barca's lead before the break after Raphinha unselfishly set him up.

Spanish champions Barcelona have cruised to a 5-0 win over Elche in their La Liga opener, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut.

After watching Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid defeat Espanyol 2-1 on Saturday with a late winner, Barca's display on Sunday cautioned the Portuguese coach that the Catalans will not relinquish the title easily.

Though it did not matter given Barca's otherwise sparkling display, teenage winger Lamine Yamal, a key part of the triumphant World Cup Spain squad, did start on the right but was far from his best.

While Barca's Gavi caught the eye in midfield – admittedly more for his pink haircut to celebrate Spain's triumph than for his performance, eric Garcia was sharp at the back to ward off a threatening Elche attack.

In the second half, former Newcastle United winger Gordon, on as a substitute, teed up Raphinha for his second, and then supplied Lopez for Barca's fourth in an electric and impressive cameo.

Youngster Xavi Espart played in Lopez. This person endured a tough summer after missing Spain's World Cup triumph through injury, for his second to seal Barcelona's comfortable triumph.

Flick's high-line defence indicated the occasional sign of its usual frailty, but goalkeeper Joan Garcia did well when called on to keep a clean sheet.

Raphinha remarked to journalists after the game that whether a game is straightforward or hard depends on us.

"If we start playing at the maximum level, we're probable to win. It was a particularly tough game, but we did our job."

In short, raphinha and Lopez score braces as Barcelona trounce Elche 5-0 is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.