Barcelona beat Elche 5-0 as Raphinha and Lopez each score twice

Barcelona opened their La Liga title defence with a commanding 5‑0 win over Elche at the Estadi Municipal on Saturday, putting them in a strong position to chase a third consecutive crown. Goals came from Robert Lewandowski, who opened the scoring, followed by a brace from Raphinha, and late strikes by Pedri and Gavi. The victory moved the Catalan side to the top of the table with 12 points from four matches, while Elche remain rooted at the bottom of the standings.

The win reinforces Barcelona’s early-season momentum after a mixed start to the previous campaign, and it provides a solid platform ahead of upcoming fixtures against Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid. Coach Xavi Hernández praised the team’s intensity and depth, noting that the result reflects the squad’s readiness to sustain a title challenge. Elche, meanwhile, must regroup as they continue to battle relegation, with the defeat widening the gap to safety.