Pena, who started the match for Elche, the return was an emotional one. Having spent years at Barcelona, he admitted it felt unusual to be in the opposition's dressing room.
"It’s strange to play here in another jersey," Pena said, although he noted it was not an entirely new experience, having previously played against Barca while on loan at Galatasaray.
The 26-year-old was seen embracing his former goalkeeping colleagues—Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Wojciech Szczesny, Joan Garcia, and Diego Kochen—after the game. "I have many friends, but I train with the goalkeepers every day and it was really nice to see them," he reflected on the reunion.
Both players were ultimately on the losing side as Barcelona secured a comfortable victory to maintain their second-place position in the La Liga table. After Yamal's early opener, Ferran Torres doubled the hosts' lead in the 12th minute. Elche pulled a goal back through Rafa Mir just before half-time, but a 61st-minute strike from Marcus Rashford sealed the three points for Flick's side.
Pena played the full 90 minutes, making three saves but conceding three goals from the six shots on target he faced. Fort was introduced in the second half and provided a solid account of himself against a tiring Barcelona attack.