Barcelona have cruised into a 2-0 half-time lead over Elche at Camp Nou in La Liga.

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Having not played for two weeks due to the winter break, Gerardo Martino's men looked well rested early on and hit their first goal of 2014 after just seven minutes, with Alexis Sanchez tapping home at the far post following a cross from Jordi Alba.

Fran Escriba's troops responded well to the setback and came within the width of the crossbar from restoring parity.

Juventus loanee Richmond Boakye failed to finish off a swift counter-attack from the visitors by watching his effort cannon off the frame of the goal, a miss that the Ghana international would soon be punished for.

The Catalan giants doubled their advantage minutes after the scare through Pedro, who latched onto a Cesc Fabregas through-ball before rounding goalkeeper Tono to score his team's second of the afternoon.

The reigning Primera Division champions should have ended the encounter as a contest moments before the interval, as Fabregas played in Sanchez, but the Chilean could not steer his effort on goal.