At the centre of the storm was referee Jesus Gil Manzano, whose handling of the match visibly frustrated the Barcelona players. Throughout the contest, the referee's decisions appeared to go against Flick's side at key moments, gradually increasing tension on the pitch. A lot of talking points Marginal offside calls, several fouls that went unpunished, and a heavy challenge by Carlos Soler on Pedri all contributed to a sense of injustice from the visiting side.
There's no denying that Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side of the late 2000s and early 2010s was one of the greatest of the modern era. As well as the silverware - three La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and two Champions Leagues among other gongs - the team's style of play, influence and legacy mean that Guardiola's team's place in the history books is secure forever.
Ferran Torres had a mixed outing when Barcelona took on Elche last night. He scored the team's second goal against Eder Sarabia's men, but struggled to convert at least four other chances during his time on the field. On a larger level, however, Torres has been good for Barcelona this campaign and has given Hansi Flick enough reason to see him as a starting No. 9.
One of the worrying points from Barcelona's win over Elche last night was the fitness of Raphinha and Jules Kounde - two players who left the field injured and raised the alarm bells ringing in Catalonia. Reports in the morning relayed that neither player's injuries were concerning to the point that they would threaten their immediate participation, but it appeared set that they would be rested for the cup clash midweek.
Barcelona are reportedly set to bring another exciting young talent to the club, with the Catalans close to securing an agreement with Jesse Bisiwu. According to Marca, Deco has been working hard on a deal and is hoping to reach an agreement for Bisiwu to move to Camp Nou in the summer. Bisiwi is a highly-rated left winger known for his dribbling ability and caught the eye at the Under-17 World Cup with his performances for Belgium.
With a bit of distance, Deco talks about Vitor Roque without trying to rewrite history. "From a quality standpoint, I don't think we made a mistake," Barcelona's sporting director said, pointing out that the club's idea was clear from the start: find a long-term successor to Robert Lewandowski before the clock became a problem. The issue wasn't the player's profile so much as a total mismatch in timing, according to Deco.
A key reason why this trio has been so successful is the way each of them complements the other and is always willing to help each other out. This bonhomie and team harmony were on full display in Barcelona's recent win over FC Copenhagen. Yamal and Lewandowski's gift to Raphinha After enduring a difficult first half against Copenhagen, Barcelona came roaring back in the second half, with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal handing them a 2-0 lead within the hour mark.
