Málaga 5 - Barcelona 1

Málaga: Calatayud; Josemi (Gerardo 70'), Fernando Sanz, Litos, Valcarce; Miguel Angel, Romero; Edgar, Insúa, Duda (Canabal 76'); Salva (Diego Alonso 71'). 4-2-3-1.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Gabri, Mario, Cocu, Van Bronckhorst; Quaresma (Overmars 68'), Xavi, Motta (Gerard 46'), Luis García (Luis Enrique 46'); Saviola, Kluivert. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Málaga: Insúa for Manu / Barça: Gabri, Mario for Reiziger, Puyol.

Goals:
1-0. 09. Salva. Ran on to pass from Duda to shoot under Víctor Valdés
2-0. 14. Salva. Got ahead of defence to head Duda's bouncing cross past keeper.
3-0. 69. Salva. Ran on to Insúa through ball and chipped shot over Valdés.
4-0. 73. Diego Alonso. Tap in on far post after cross in from right wing.
4-1. 78. Fernando Sanz (own goal). Turned ball past keeper from Xavi free kick.
5-1. 87. Canabal. Slid ball in from wide angle after Edgar headed on throw in.

Just three days before the big derby game with Real Madrid, Barcelona were thrashed 5-1 by a Málaga side who hadn't beaten them once in the previous 27 years. The hero of the match was Salva, who scored a hat-trick and was a complete nightmare for a disorientated Barcelona defence, in which Mario was making his league debut for his new side in place of the injured Puyol.

The ex Valencia striker opened the scoring in the ninth minute on a quick breakaway, and added a second five minutes later from Duda's cross. Xavi brought a good save out of Calatayud with a curling free kick, but otherwise the visitors were ineffective and Rijkaard made two substitutions at the break. For a few minutes things improved, and Saviola saw another effort blocked by the young keeper. But soon afterwards Insúa won the ball off Gabri in midfield and set up Salva to complete his hat-trick with an excellent chip over the keeper.

Juande Ramos took off his goalscorer to a standing ovation, but his replacement Diego Alonso carried on the good work, beating a disconsolate Víctor Valdés only a minute or so after coming on. Barça got a consolation goal, even though it took a Málaga player to score it, Fernando Sanz turning Xavi's free kick into his own net. But another substitute Canabal scored his side's fifth late on to complete the humiliation, leaving the Catalans hopes in tatters with only one point from their last three games since Ronaldinho got injured. Not a great omen for Saturday's big game.