Barcelona 5 - Málaga 1

Barcelona: Reina; Reiziger, Puyol (Coco 46'), Frank De Boer (Abelardo 60'), Motta; Luis Enrique, Gerard (Xavi 56'), Cocu; Rivaldo; Kluivert, Saviola. 4-3-1-2.
Málaga: Contreras; Josemi, Fernando Sanz, Litos, Valcarce; Romero, Miguel Angel (Ivan Leko 46'); Edgar (Zárate 46'), Sandro (Calandria 60'), Musampa; Canabal. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: Reiziger, Motta, Gerard, Rivaldo, Saviola for Christanval, Sergi, Gabri, Rochemback, Xavi / Málaga: Josemi, Valcarce, Edgar, Sandro, Canabal for Rojas, Roteta, Manu, Darío Silva, Dely Valdés.

Goals:
1-0. 02. Cocu. On far post after Kluivert headed on Rivaldo corner.
2-0. 24. Saviola. Ran on to Kluivert through ball to beat Contreras and score.
3-0. 37. Kluivert (penalty). After Valcarce held back Saviola on edge of area.
3-1. 66. Leko. Feinted past Luis Enrique and beat Reina from edge of area.
4-1. 76. Kluivert (penalty). Following foul again by Valcarce on Saviola.
5-1. 89. Kluivert. Shot from outside area after Rivaldo laid back Saviola centre.

Charly Rexach saved another match ball as his Barcelona side beat a depleted Málaga by 5-1. The manager had been under pressure during the week to get a result after losing to Valencia in the league and Roma in Europe, but his side had no trouble beating the Andalucians, who were missing their front two Darío Silva (with a knee injury) and Dely Valdés (suspended). With injuries decimating his defence Rexach brought in Reiziger at right back, but surprised everyone playing Motta on the left instead of the obvious substitute for the injured Sergi, Coco. Once again Xavi was left on the bench as Gerard came in to his position in midfield behind the so-called trident of Rivaldo, Saviola and Kluivert.

Barcelona got off to the best possible start, Cocu opening the scoring within two minutes from Rivaldo's corner for his first goal in a year. A few minutes later Romero cleared a lofted shot from Saviola off the line with Contreras beaten, and midway through the first half Saviola beat the offside trap to round the keeper and score. Málaga were putting up little resistance, and they went further behind when referee Daudén Ibáñez awarded the home side a dubious penalty when Valcarce tackled Saviola in the area, Kluivert beating Contreras with the spot kick. Joaquín Peiró was not happy with his team's performance and brought on Leko and Zárate at the break, with Rexach taking advantage of an injury to Puyol to change his plans, Coco coming on at right back allowing Motta to return to his more normal midfield role and Cocu play in a more defensive position.

Midway through the second half Málaga got one back when Leko drifted past Luis Enrique to beat Reina with a powerful shot from outside of the area. Some of the crowd started to whistle at the young keeper, who many expected to have been replaced by Bonano for this game, but a couple of minutes later that was forgotten as the action moved to the other end, Contreras making the save of the weekend getting down to palm away Kluivert's header and the Dutch striker hitting the bar on the follow up. Soon afterwards Kluivert got his second penalty of the night as the same two actors Valcarce and Saviola repeated their first half scenario, and then completed his hat-trick in a move which involved the trident, Rivaldo laying back Saviola's cross for him to blast a shot low of the keeper. Barcelona move back up to fourth in the table but leave the question mark hanging as to why they can't play like that every week. Their visitors return South putting the result down to experience, but not that much worse off as they stay in fifteenth place.