Neymar sees red, Barcelona’s La Liga title hopes dented after loss to Malaga
FALLING APART Ramirez, Jony score to inflict defeat on the Catalan side; Enrique unhappy with refereeing decisions
Neymar was sent off as Barcelona suffered a shock 2-0 defeat at Malaga on Saturday that scuppered their hopes of going top of La Liga and handed control of the title race to leaders to Real Madrid.
Zinedine Zidane’s Real were held to a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the capital derby earlier in the day, giving Barcelona the chance to go top on goal difference, but Luis Enrique’s side squandered the opportunity and now sit three points behind Los Blancos, who have played a game less.
Former Barcelona striker Sandro Ramirez opened the scoring for Malaga with a breakaway goal in the 32nd minute before Jony added a 90th-minute second for the hosts.
Neymar was shown his second yellow card and dismissed midway through the second half.
Luis Enrique was angry with several of referee Gil Manzano’s decisions, including the award of a free kick rather than a penalty after Charles fouled Sergi Roberto in the box. “It’s curious that a team like us that doesn’t usually kick people gets so many yellow cards in such an incomprehensible manner,” he said.
“There was some very ugly tackles from behind from their team which didn’t see them get booked and others committed by us which were given yellows.
“The rules are there to be interpreted, but equally for everyone.
“I don’t understand how the foul on Sergi Roberto was given outside the area, but we are used to it.”
After the Madrid derby ended in a draw a victory at La Rosaleda would have sent Barcelona level with Madrid on 72 points.
Barcelona started well but Juankar’s long ball caught the visitors off guard and Sandro beat Jeremy Mathieu for pace before finishing past Marc-Andre ter Stegen with aplomb.
Neymar was booked in the first half for tying his laces in front of a Malaga player trying to take a free kick and received his marching orders for a late tackle on Diego Llorente in the 65th minute.
Adalberto Penaranda put the ball in the net for Malaga but his effort was incorrectly ruled out for offside.
Malaga grabbed a second at the death, however, with the excellent Pablo Fornals unselfishly teeing up Jony.
Earlier on Saturday, Madrid handed their arch-rivals the chance to depose them at the top of the table, as Antoine Griezmann grabbed an 85th-minute equaliser for Atletico.
Pepe opened the scoring for Real with a looping header in the 52nd minute and it looked like the hosts would earn victory, until the Frenchman intervened late on, reaching Angel Correa’s through ball and slotting home.
Madrid coach Zidane put the dropped points down to a lapse in concentration.
“It was a great performance (from Real), but we just lost concentration for five minutes,” he said. “I can’t say that Atletico played well. We didn’t get the second goal and we suffered.” Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta insists it is pointless to blame the officials for the 2-0 defeat to Malaga .
The champions failed to capitalise on LaLiga leaders Real Madrid surrendering a late lead against Atletico Madrid as goals from former Barca forward Sandro Ramirez and Jony secured maximum points for the hosts at La Rosaleda.
Barca had Neymar sent off in the second half, the Brazil star earning a second booking for a strong challenge on Diego Llorente after he had earlier been cautioned for delaying a freekick by tying his laces.
Head coach Luis Enrique was left bemused by the decision and was similarly frustrated that referee Jesus Gil Manzano awarded a free-kick rather than a penalty when Sergi Roberto was tripped just inside the penalty area.
Iniesta refused to pin blame on the officials, however, and called on his team-mates to put the match behind them as they prepare for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final with Juventus on Tuesday.
“It was a real shame. We have missed a good opportunity to put ourselves in a favourable position to win LaLiga,” he said, as quoted by Sport.
“Hopefully we won’t slip up again but the league is more difficult. The table is how it is.
“The team played a good game and fought until the end, but sometimes things don’t go your way. Malaga took advantage of their chances very well.
“I’m one of those who thinks that talking about referees won’t get you anywhere. It’s not easy to make decisions on the pitch.
“We have to draw conclusions and then forget this game. We have to turn the page, change our mentality and think only about Juve.”
Barca are three points behind Madrid, who have a game in hand, and defender Javier Mascherano has conceded that the Clasico on April 23 is now a mustwin game for his side.
“We have to win at the Santiago Bernabeu and hope that Real Madrid drop further points,” he told Movistar +.
“But these things happen. I can’t fault the team, we gave it our all.
“Unfortunately we didn’t control the game, and once we went behind it was an uphill struggle. We had chances to equalise but we knew they could always catch us on the counter.”