Barcelona 4 - Málaga 0

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Belletti, Oleguer (Messi 82'), Puyol (Fernando Navarro 86'), Van Bronckhorst (Sylvinho 75'); Xavi, Márquez, Deco; Iniesta, Eto'o, Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.
Málaga: Calatayud; Alexis, Fernando Sanz, Litos, Iznata; Miguel Angel, Juanito (Wanchope 58'); Manu (Duda 31'), Juan Rodríguez, Edgar (Paco Esteban 49'); Amoroso. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: Giuly for Larsson / Málaga: Litos, Iznata, Manu, Juan Rodríguez for Valcarce, Leko, Duda, Wanchope.

Goals:
1-0. 25. Eto'o. Picked up pass from Deco and ran on to shoot wide of keeper.
2-0. 29. Deco. Took short ball from Eto'o and struck long shot over Calatayud.
3-0. 72. Iniesta. Ran through to score after Deco closed down by defence.
4-0. 90. Eto'o. Poked ball past Calatayud after Iniesta passed in from by-line.

Another impressive performance from Barcelona, who trounced struggling Málaga 4-0 on a rainy night in the Nou Camp to move ten points clear at the top of the table pending Sunday's games. Frank Rijkaard only had thirteen fit first team players, but it was more than enough against an opponent who have now gone eight matches without a win and have not even scored since the end of October.

The visitors held off their hosts until midway through the first half when Deco set up Eto'o to run on and beat Calatayud, but only four minutes later Deco scored a second with a spectacular strike which left the keeper with no chance. And Eto'o could have added two more before the break, lobbing one effort just wide and having another blocked by the defence.

Málaga's only reply was a deflected free kick from Duda and a possible penalty by Oleguer on Amoroso which the referee turned down, and Manzano decided to throw on additional fire power after the restart, with forwards Paco Esteban and Wanchope joining Amoroso and Juan Rodríguez. But that only made matters worse, and Iniesta went close twice before getting Barcelona's third, picking up a loose ball after Deco had broken free but allowed Fernando Sanz to put in a tackle.

Still Barcelona wanted more, and Rijkaard brought on one of his young stars Messi to join in the fun. The Argentine youth international put Eto'o through for him to shoot over, and went close himself a couple of times before Eto'o got his side's fourth and his own twelfth in fourteen games after Iniesta laid the ball across. The defeat takes Málaga further in to the relegation zone, and on this form it will be difficult for them to get out of it.