Elche 0-4 Barcelona: Lewandowski double helps LaLiga leaders thrash rock-bottom hosts

Robert Lewandowski's latest Barcelona double helped take them another step closer to the LaLiga title with a 4-0 win over rock-bottom Elche on Saturday.

The Poland international's goals either side of an Ansu Fati finish helped the Blaugrana cruise to a comfortable victory at Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero.

Ferran Torres added a fourth as Xavi's visitors moved 15 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid in the table to further underline their domestic dominance this season.

For Sebastian Beccacece, Elche's fourth different boss of the season, it was a chastening reminder of the task at hand.

7 - Robert Lewandowski has opened the scoring seven times in @LaLigaEN 2022/23, more than any other player in the competition this season. Opener. pic.twitter.com/4ldIFthHnh

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 1, 2023

Barca pressed hard for an opener from the start and were duly rewarded 20 minutes in when Lewandowski turned in a Ronald Araujo header from Jordi Alba's free-kick.

But Lewandowski missed a golden opportunity to double the visitors' lead before the break with a flying header, as did Jules Kounde when he saw Edgar Badia save his shot.

The Blaugrana were more ruthless in the second half, though.

Fati capped off a fluent breakaway move with a cool, low finish to put Barca two up in the 56th minute

Lewandowski was then on hand 10 minutes later, latching onto a Gavi throughball and dispatching a neat finish, before Torres brought down the forward's looping pass outside the box for a fine strike of his own.

That added a last touch of gloss to a dominant performance that edges Barca closer to silverware.