Barcelona fought back to earn a 2-1 win in a frantically entertaining match at Elche on Sunday as a late penalty from Memphis Depay ensured they continued their revival after a difficult start to the season.
Having fallen as low as ninth back in November, when former coach Ronald Koeman was fired, Xavi Hernandez’s revitalized Barca have climbed into LaLiga’s top three with 48 points, leapfrogging Betis in third place.
Mid-table Elche opened the scoring right before halftime when Pedri tried to clear the ball but gifted a perfect assist to Fidel Chavez, who out-ran Dani Alves and scored with an angled shot just inside the right post.
Ferran Torres scored the equalizer in the 61st minute after great play from Ousmane Dembele down the right flank. His cross was deflected by Jordi Alba and the former Manchester City forward, in the right place at the right time, turned it home from close range.
Barca’s winner arrived after the video assistant referee spotted a handball from an Elche defender inside the area in the 84th minute and Depay rifled his penalty into the top left corner.
The VAR was put to work twice more after that, as Elche were controversially denied two penalties following handball appeals against Barca players.
ARR
