La Liga 2017/18: Barcelona 2-0 Malaga, 5 talking points

#4. Malaga unlucky to go behind but put up a spirited performance nonetheless

Malaga defended with resolve and forced the issue against the league leaders

It took just 2 minutes for Barcelona to get on the scoresheet as Deulofeu tapped in from a Digne cross. All was fine except for the ball had already gone out of play before Digne served it into the corridor of uncertainty.

It was a bizarre error and something that can strip a team off all the spirit with which they show up for a game as big as this one. But instead of filing their resignation, Michel's men showed great character and pressed high and deep into the Barcelona half.

They were compact in defence and often posed difficult questions to the Barcelona defence and attack as the Catalans found it hard to push the ball into the attacking third. Malaga kept their shape and rendered most of Barcelona's attacks in the first half invalid.

Luis Hernandez put in an awe-inspiring shift at centreback and often chipped in with valuable clearances and even got ahead and his header, from a free kick in the 74th minute, flew just wide off the mark.