Barcelona’s Spanish La Liga title hopes were dealt a huge blow as Malaga stunned the Camp Nou with a 1-0 win on Saturday.
Juanmi grabbed the only goal of the game after just seven minutes when he pounced on an error by Dani Alves.
Thereafter, the hosts failed to break down a well-organized Malaga defense, which also frustrated the Catalans in a 0-0 draw earlier in the season.
Photo: EPA
The defeat was all the more of surprising as Barca came into the game in fine form having won their last 11 games in all competitions, scoring 42 goals in the process.
Their star front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez were kept remarkably quiet, as Malaga became the first side since Getafe in the 2007-2008 season to keep Barca scoreless over two games in La Liga.
The opener arrived thanks to a huge defensive error, as Alves under-hit a backpass to Claudio Bravo and Juanmi nipped in to slot home.
Barca nearly replied immediately when a corner fell to Rafinha Alcantara and his fierce drive was blocked on the line by Weligton Oliveira.
Messi nearly unlocked the Malaga defense with a perfect cross that Andres Iniesta could only head into the grateful arms of Carlos Kameni.
Luis Enrique turned to Ivan Rakitic and Pedro Rodriguez from the bench in the search for a breakthrough after the break.
It was Pedro who had the best chance to level seven minutes from time when he was played in by Neymar, but the Spanish international could only fire the ball into the side-netting.
It was not to be for Barca, as a dipping volley from Suarez was clutched by Kameni before the Cameroonian denied Gerard Pique in stoppage-time.
Champions Atletico Madrid are now just three points behind Barcelona after they cruised to a 3-0 win over UD Almeria thanks to a double from Antoine Griezmann.
Valencia tightened their grip on fourth place as Pablo Piatti struck the winner nine minutes from time in a 2-1 victory away at Cordoba.
RC Celta de Vigo moved into eighth position with a 2-0 away win over RC Deportivo de La Coruna.
BUNDESLIGA
Robert Lewandowski and Arjen Robben struck twice apiece as champions Bayern Munich annihilated promoted SC Paderborn 07 6-0 on Saturday to open an 11-point lead at the top of the German Bundesliga.
Lewandowski opened the scoring in the 24th minute by pouncing on a superb flick from Robben.
Then, in true center forward fashion, he tapped in a Franck Ribery pass 13 minutes later. Paderborn’s fate was sealed when Florian Hartherz was sent off after 62 minutes and Robben converted the resulting penalty.
Ribery and Mitchell Weiser were also on target before Robben notched his 16th league goal of the campaign to equal his best tally for the club and climb to the top of the Bundesliga scorers’ list.
Visitors Werder Bremen stunned fourth-placed Schalke 04 as a last-minute equalizer from Sebastian Proedl snatched a 1-1 draw.
New FSV Mainz 05 coach Martin Schmidt enjoyed a winning Bundesliga debut as his team eased past Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 at home to climb up to 11th on 25 points.
Hanover 96 drew 1-1 at Cologne to remain 10th, but will be without Joao Pereira next week against VfB Stuttgart after he was sent off in stoppage-time.
Augsburg drew 2-2 at home to Bayer 04 Leverkusen, and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim were held 1-1 away at SC Freiburg.
LIGUE 1
Teen midfielder Adrien Rabiot scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain beat Toulouse 3-1 to move provisionally top of the French Ligue 1 on Saturday.
The 19-year-old, who was not in coach Laurent Blanc’s side at the start of the season and was almost sold in the summer, scored with a fine curling effort in the first half, and prodded in the second just after the break.
Captain Thiago Silva slammed the ball into the roof of the net in the 74th minute to make it 3-1, after striker Wissan Ben Yedder pulled a goal back in the 51st minute.
In other games, Wahbi Khazri’s penalty earned sixth-place Girondins de Bordeaux a 1-1 draw at Stade Rennais, SC Bastia beat LOSC Lille Metropole 2-1 with goals from Giovanni Sio and Floyd Ayite, and Emiliano Sala netted twice in Stade Malherbe Caen Calvados’ 4-1 home win against struggling Racing Club de Lens.
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