Barcelona 0-1 Málaga

  • Published
Malaga goal from Jiminez LopezImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Juanmi scores Malaga's winning goal at the Nou Camp to give them their fifth away victory of the season in La Liga

Barcelona missed the chance to go top of La Liga as they suffered a shock home defeat to seventh-placed Malaga.

Juanmi scored the seventh-minute winner following a Dani Alves mistake as Barcelona's 11-match winning run ended.

A second home league defeat of the season means Barcelona stay a point behind Real Madrid.

And it was far from ideal preparation for the Catalans' visit to Manchester City next Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

Barcelona had scored 42 goals during their recent winning run - with top scorer Lionel Messi contributing 10 goals in his last five league games - but could not find one to cancel out Juanmi's early strike.

Alves inadvertently created the chance with a weak backpass to goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, which the 21-year-old intercepted to take the ball around the keeper and slot into the empty net for his fifth goal of the season.

The goalscorer almost made it 2-0 on the break with a shot that was saved by Bravo, before Barcelona piled on the pressure in the second half.

But despite dominating possession they were unable to create any clear-cut chances and overhaul Real Madrid who play at Elche on Sunday.

Having drawn 0-0 in the first league meeting of the season between the sides last September, Malaga became the first team since Getafe in 2007/08 to keep Barcelona scoreless over two games.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique:

"We're used to these kind of games.

"I'd like it to be an accident but it is becoming habit, the opposition close up and we can't find a way through.

"These kind of results are sometimes a good reminder that other sides have their qualities.

"You could consider this a deserved defeat."

Sorry, we can't display this part of the article any more.

Around the BBC

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.