Ter Stegen: He had no intervention of merit, despite the fact that Elche tried on more than one occasion to look at the rival goal. However, all his shots on goal went very far. Especially dangerous was a shot from Boyé, who went to the first tier.
Mingueza: He suffered a lot especially in the first part with the Argentine Rigoni falling into his band. However, the defender of the subsidiary was settling in his game and gaining in confidence, also joining more in attack. He ended up with cramps in the soleus of his left leg.
Pique: Keep recovering the rhythm of the competition. In his third game as a starter, he knew how to manage efforts and recover balls based on anticipation and aerial strength. Very good the exit of the ball.
Umtiti: His first action was regrettable, leaving a lot of space for Boyé to finish at pleasure inside the area, although fortunately he missed the shot. However, the Frenchman made up his mind and began to regain feelings. Very neat in the exit of the ball. He ended up giving the scare when he complained of discomfort in the adductor of the left leg, but he returned to the field and finished the game.
Sunrise: The full-back scored a goal as if he were a center forward, after taking advantage of a masterful header from Braithwaite. On the left wing he always knew how to resolve the situation, always trying to look for Pedri.
Pjanic: The great one pointed out in the first part. It did not come out after the break. In any case, he was not the worst either, giving an interesting pass between the lines, but the truth is that his game without the ball is a disaster, always poorly placed and without helping with coverage.
From Jong: The smartest of all since he lasted 90 minutes on the field without seeing a yellow that would have left him out for Saturday's game against Sevilla. His play in Messi's second goal is typical of a crack of a stratospheric level. Too bad it doesn't have more continuity.
Pedri: Multipurpose. He played in every position in the midfield, even as a defensive pivot. It may not be his best game, but his appearances are always a relief to the team, which needs his talent to survive.
Trincao: This doing everything well but having the lights turn off when he only has to push the ball is something that Vinicius has used to us at Real Madrid. He had two very clear chances, only against Badia, finishing both in a faulty way. In any case, he was the most prominent player in the first half and the one who tried to offer more resources in attack. After the break, his game ended deflating, being substituted in the 65th minute.
Messi: The Argentine, almost without wanting to or making noise, is already the ‘Pichihi’ of this League, with 18 goals. He scored two goals today that gave life to Barcelona, as the team was stuck in a good quagmire against the iron defense of Alicante. However, in a punchy goal the first and absolute talent in the second, managed to put the 2-0 on the scoreboard, leaving the game seen for sentence.
Braithwaite: He gave two assists on goal. With that he has already earned his bread without a doubt. The first also with a precise heel to Messi and the second, after a great header to Alba. In any case, for a striker, finishing a game without finishing once on goal must be more than frustrating. He played on the left wing, sacrificing a lot on defense.
CHANGES:
Dembélé: He played the first fifteen minutes on the left wing and the rest on the right wing. Despite not participating excessively, he managed to make Elche have to put more men under his watch and free his companions.
Sergio Busquets: His entry into the field was a balm for the team's game. Everything was ordered with criteria.
Lenglet: Koeman gave him fifteen minutes on the field to regain confidence after the penalty he committed against Cádiz.
Dest: He played as a left back, replacing Alba, giving a great assist to Griezmann, who sent the ball to the crossbar only against Badia.
Griezmann: One no longer knows if it is bad luck or directly ineptitude, but the French still does not mark the rainbow. His mistake, only before the Elche goal, is almost harmful to the eyes.