First Division - Day 28

Barcelona 6 - Málaga 0

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Daniel Alves, Márquez, Martín Cáceres, Sylvinho; Xavi (Bojan 67'), Touré Yaya (Keita 25'), Iniesta (Gudjohnsen 60'); Messi, Eto'o, Henry. 4-3-3.
Málaga: Goitia; Jesús Gámez (Manolo Gaspar 62'), Helder, Cuadrado, Nacho; Apoño, Lolo (Duda 64'); Eliseu, Fernando, Albert Luque (Adriano Ferreira 75'); Salva. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barcelona: Martín Cáceres, Eto'o, Henry for Piqué, Keita, Bojan / Málaga: Cuadrado, Lolo, Fernando, Albert Luque for Weligton, Calleja, Miguel Angel, Baha.

Goals:
1-0. 19. Xavi. Picked up Eto'o pass and drove low shot wide of Goitia.
2-0. 25. Messi. Cut in from right wing past several defenders to score.
3-0. 32. Henry. Collected Xavi pass and ran on to round keeper and score.
4-0. 44. Eto'o. Ran on to shoot under Goitia after picking up Xavi pass.
5-0. 51. Dani Alves. Ran through to head Iniesta cross over head of Goitia.
6-0. 57. Eto'o. Got on end of Henry's square pass to turn ball wide of keeper.

Yellow cards: Nacho 17', Alves 32', Jesús Gámez 35', Gudjohnsen 81'.

Barcelona thrashed Málaga 6-0 on Sunday evening to keep up their six point lead at the top of the table. By half time Guardiola's side were already four goals up, Xavi opening the scoring after controlling Eto'o's pass to beat Goitia. Messi produced a "house special" for the second, controlling the ball on his chest by the touchline and running on with apparent ease past defenders to fire a shot in to the near corner. And Xavi set up Henry and then Eto'o to add two more, ending the game as a contest before the half time whistle.

Valdés was finally tested by Salva, who brought good saves out of the keeper either side of half time. Messi let the visitors off a fifth, but a couple of minutes later Alves ran through to guide a header over the keeper from Iniesta's cross. Valdés did well to keep out Eliseu, and soon afterwards Eto'o completed the set after Henry set him up. It could have been more, substitute Bojan in particular forcing Goitia in to another good save. But Barça had answered Real Madrid's challenge from earlier in the evening, and they maintain the gap over their arch-rivals for another week or so at least.