Barcelona put an end to the recent wave of criticism regarding their poor play by securing a 3-0 win against Elche in Wednesday's LaLiga clash. The victory was spearheaded by Lionel Messi, who scored a brace, and Jordi Alba, who contributed a goal. Messi's second-half dominance ensured a flawless win for his side. Following the match, in a surprising move, Messi asked Elche's goalkeeper, Edgar Badia, to swap shirts.
Edgar Badia was undoubtedly Elche's best player for a large portion of the match, making several key saves in the first half to deny Barcelona. Unfortunately, his heroic efforts weren't enough to stop the legendary Argentinian, as he eventually conceded three goals as the game progressed.
The Argentine superstar left the crowd in awe with a slick exchange with Martin Braithwaite before beating Badia for the first goal. Later, in the 68th minute, Frenkie de Jong drove through the heart of the Elche defense and set up Messi for his second. This time, Messi showed his clinical nature by scoring from a tight, difficult position.
The scoring was completed in the 72nd minute when Braithwaite headed the ball toward Jordi Alba, who finished it off perfectly. With these goals, Messi has solidified his position as the leading scorer in LaLiga this season, bringing his total to 18.
While Barcelona's win was important, many were more captivated by Edgar Badia's reaction to Messi's request. As the players began swapping kits after the game, Messi approached Badia with a hug and signaled that he wanted the keeper's shirt. Badia was visibly stunned, clearly not expecting such a gesture from a global icon. Overcome with surprise, he quickly took off his jersey and handed it to a smiling Messi.
This victory propels Barcelona up to third place in the LaLiga standings, with 50 points gathered from 24 matches. The team is currently on a strong run, remaining unbeaten in 14 games and winning four of their last five. They now sit just 5 points behind the league leaders, Atletico Madrid.
games. With Atletico Madrid at the top of the table, Barcelona trail them by 5 points.