Barcelona made it 59 weeks and counting at the top of La Liga with comfortable win over Malaga that took them back above Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
In what looked like the XI that Tata Martino will start with against Manchester City in three weeks time they took their time to pick a way through the Malaga defence but then scored twice more to take their season’s tally to 57, just six short of Manuel Pellegrini’s team.
Leo Messi was the architect of their second and third goals after Gerard Pique had broken the deadlock with a first half header.
They were almost ahead on just four minutes when Alexis Sanchez ran on to Fabregas’ pass and shaved the far post with his shot. Messi was then tripped on the edge of the area by Marcos Angeleri and Xavi thumped the free-kick straight at Willy Caballero.
Down at the other end Valdes had to push a Duda free-kick just around his post as Malaga went close and Vitorino Atunes’ deep cross just going beyond former Manchester City and Blackburn centre-forward Roque Santa Cruz.
Barcelona’s soft centre was almost exposed again when Javier Mascherano missed two tackles in quick succession and Jordi Alba had to sweep across from left-back to clear the danger.
Messi then had another chance clipping the ball over the advancing Caballero but just wide of his far post.
Caballero was the goalkeeper Manchester City boss Pellegrini considered earlier in the season when Joe Hart’s form faltered. The Argentine usually pulls out a big performance against the top two and he batted an Alves cross-shot away as Malaga continued to hold out.
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