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First Division - Day 38

Barcelona 4 - Málaga 1

Barcelona: Pinto; Montoya, Piqué (Abidal 75'), Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta (Thiago 54'); Pedro, Fàbregas, David Villa (Alexis 77'). 4-3-3.
Málaga: Willy Caballero; Jesús Gámez, Lugano, Weligton, Eliseu; Toulalan, Camacho; Joaquín (Seba Fernández 70'), Baptista, Isco (Saviola 78'); Santa Cruz (Pedro Morales 46'). 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 04. David Villa. Turned shot past keeper after Pedro laid across Iniesta pass.
2-0. 14. Fàbregas. Picked up Iniesta return pass and cut across to shoot past Willy.
3-0. 16. Montoya. Fired low shot in off far post after corner came back out to him.
4-0. 52. Iniesta. Picked up ball outside area and struck shot in to top coner of net.
4-1. 57. Morales. Got on the end of Jesús Gámez cross to turn shot past Pinto.

Yellow cards: None.

Barcelona's only real objective against Málaga was to get the win they needed to match Real Madrid's 100 point haul from last season, and within fifteen minutes they scored three times to put the game beyond their opponents' reach. With just four minutes on the clock Villa opened the scoring, turning the ball past Caballero after Pedro laid back a long ball from Iniesta, and ten minutes later Fàbregas picked up a return pass from Iniesta and cut across the front of the area before firing a shot wide of the keeper. And just two minutes after that Montoya drilled home a third after the defence could only head a corner in to his path. Piqué came close to a fourth when he headed a corner wide before the break, and seven minutes after the restart Iniesta got his name on the scoresheet before going off to a standing ovation. Up to that point Málaga's best chances were a header wide by Santa Cruz, and a shot by Baptista which Pinto kept out, but with just under an hour gone half time substitute Pedro Morales got one back from a Jesús Gámez cross. The crowd were back on their feet a quarter of an hour later to applaud Abidal on to the pitch for his last match with the club, but after that it was just a question of running down the last few minutes. No question of holidays just yet though as most of the players now have international commitments.