An organised Málaga slow Barcelona’s progress

Málaga CF and FC Barcelona produced a goalless draw in the Rosaleda, in a match in which equality ruled between the two sides. The result takes Málaga to six points and the Azulgranas are still unbeaten and provisionally atop the Liga BBVA.

Barcelona’s pressure up front has been a constant since the arrival of Luis Enrique in the dugout. However, Málaga mimicked the Azulgranas by trying to prevent the Catalan team building from their defence. While Málaga tried to unsettle with set-pieces, Jordi Alba endangered Javi Gracia’s side, when Lionel Messi came close to putting his cross from the left flank in the back of the net.

The match was still a close contest early in the second half. In response to the balance of the game, Luis Enrique, decided to bring on Sandro Ramírez and Munir to liven up his side. Málaga, for their part, continued to create danger from dead-ball situations. Home midfielder Luis Alberto had a free-kick in the second half that ricocheted off the post after a touch from Claudio Bravo. Piqué also came close to making it 0-1 in a move from the training ground, but Carlos Kameni was up to the task. In the end it was spoils shared between Barcelona and Málaga in La Rosaleda.