Sep, 26 2025
Match Summaries
On 24 January 2021, the first Elche vs Barcelona encounter took place at the modest Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. Barcelona entered the match on a four‑game away winning streak and quickly asserted control. After a quiet opening spell, Frenkie de Jong broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, slipping past the defense to finish from close range. The Dutch midfielder’s movement opened spaces for the likes of Pedri, and the pressure paid off when Riqui Puig added a late winner in the 89th minute, sealing a 2‑0 triumph.
The return leg arrived a month later at the iconic Camp Nou. Barcelona’s intent was clear: dominate the table and reach the top three. Lionel Messi, fresh from a prolific season, delivered a perfect brace, scoring in the 48th and 68th minutes. His first goal came from a swift counter‑attack, while the second was a clinical finish after a slick passing move that left the Elche defence scrambling. Jordi Alba capped the performance with a third, heading home from a corner in the 73rd minute. The 3‑0 result propelled Barcelona to third place and put them back in the title conversation.
Both fixtures showcased the Catalan side’s possession‑based approach. Midfield trios of De Jong, Sergio Busquets and Pedri rotated the ball with relentless precision, limiting Elche’s chances to a handful of long‑range efforts. Defensively, Marc‑Andre ter Stegen was rarely tested, underscoring the gap in quality between the two squads.
Elche, who had secured promotion only a season earlier, fought valiantly. Lucas Boyé and Johan Mojica offered moments of spark, with Boyé forcing a corner in the first match and Mojica delivering a few dangerous crosses. However, the lack of depth and experience against a Barcelona side at full steam meant the Valencian club could not sustain pressure for long.
How to Watch in India
Indian football fans tuned in through several platforms that carried La Liga live in 2021. The primary broadcaster was Sony Sports Network, which offered a dedicated La Liga channel across its cable and DTH packages. For viewers without a traditional TV subscription, SonyLIV streamed the matches via its digital app, providing live commentary and instant replays.
Both services featured pre‑match studio analysis with Indian pundits, in‑match statistics such as possession percentages, pass accuracy and player heat‑maps, and post‑match breakdowns that dissected tactics. The streaming quality ranged from standard definition to full HD, depending on the user's internet bandwidth.
- Channel: Sony Ten 3 (cable/DTH)
- Digital: SonyLIV app (mobile, web, smart TV)
- Subscription: Monthly or yearly plans; a free trial was often available for new users
- Additional features: Live stats overlay, multi‑camera angles, and on‑demand highlights
Fans also turned to social media for real‑time updates. Twitter accounts of La Liga, Barcelona, and popular Indian sports journalists posted minute‑by‑minute scores, while YouTube channels uploaded condensed highlights within hours of the final whistle.
The broadcasting package emphasized engagement. Viewers could vote on Man of the Match, submit questions to pundits during halftime, and access a library of past Barcelona games for context. This multi‑layered approach helped Indian audiences feel connected to the Spanish league, despite the time‑zone difference.
Beyond the live broadcast, the fixtures fed into broader narratives of the 2020‑21 season. Barcelona’s wins over Elche were part of a larger push that saw them finish second behind Atletico Madrid, while the Catalan club’s attacking trio of Messi, De Jong and Pedri continued to draw global attention. For Elche, staying in La Liga required a points tally that demanded consistency against bigger clubs, making each fixture a test of resilience.
Overall, the two matches highlighted Barcelona’s tactical superiority and Messi’s enduring brilliance, while offering Indian fans a comprehensive viewing experience that combined high‑quality streaming with rich analytical content.