Another Lionel Messi wondershow brought Barcelona a comfortable 4-1 victory over a well-organised but ultimately outclassed Málaga at La Rosaleda.
Barca boss Pep Guardiola had admitted after Wednesday’s win at the Bernabéu that the three-time FIFA Ballon D’Or winner had been below his best recently. No such worries here.
The home side were competitive until half-time, but once Messi got going Barca were never seriously troubled. The Argentine’s hat-trick featured a leaping header and two typical solo efforts. Alexis Sanchéz claimed Barca’s other goal while Salomón Rondón hit Málaga’s late consolation.
With the game squeezed between Barca’s two Copa del Rey quarter-final legs against Real Madrid, Guardiola shuffled his side, resting Xavi Hernández, Carles Puyol and Cesc Fábregas. Málaga manager Manuel Pellegrini was without the suspended Jérémy Toulalan and opted to strengthen his midfield by playing both Nacho Camacho and Enzo Maresca with Santi Cazorla pushed further forward.
The home side’s 19-year-old playmaker Isco almost shocked Barca early on, forcing three superb saves from Víctor Váldes. First a 20 yard curler brought a flying one-handed save, then from the resulting corner the ex-Valencia man twice brought the best from the visiting keeper.
After that early scare the game soon settled down with Barca typically dominating possession. With Xavi watching, Sergio Busquets had more responsibility to set his side’s rhythm. Things were not really clicking until Messi began dropping deeper midway through the first half.
A sublime pass sent Eric Abidal clear in a move similar to that which brought the winner at the Bernabéu midweek. The full-back was forced wide but recycled the ball for Messi, whose shot was hacked off the line by Martin Demichelis.
The opener soon arrived. Adriano chipped a cross to the penalty spot and Messi leaped without breaking stride to plant a header into the bottom corner.
Málaga would still not have been too disappointed with the scoreline at half-time, but when the champions came out for the second half with increased urgency, Málaga’s defence could not cope. First Andés Iniesta’s surge opened up a huge space for Thiago, whose shot was sell saved by Willy Caballero. Some pin-ball followed before Alexis fired high into the net from close range.
Three minutes later Messi picked up the ball 40 yards out and surged straight at the centre of Málaga’s back line. Four defenders got close but not close enough, and Leo calmly fired home from just inside the area.
That was pretty much that. The fourth came late when Messi hurdled a challenge on half-way and just ran away from everyone before knocking the ball across Caballero and inside the far post.
The home fans raised a muted cheer when Rondón finished well after Valdés could only push out Isco’s long range effort. Last summer’s €60million outlay has made Málaga competitive with most within La Liga, but with no amount of money likely to move Messi from Barca, competing at the very top remains well beyond them.
