Barca disappointed by failing to beat Malaga.

Barca had to settle for a goalless draw against Malaga in La Liga's 12th round, while both Messi and Suarez were unavailable.

Neymar was unable to help the attack perform better. Photo: Reuters

Facing Malaga at Camp Nou on November 19th, Barca disappointed by failing to score against goalkeeper Kameni. The absence of both Messi and Suarez left the attack lacking creativity. Neymar alone wasn't enough to support Arda Turan and Paco Alcacer, while Malaga played disciplined defense. The visitors even accepted losing two players to protect the 0-0 draw.

The draw against Malaga has put Barca at a disadvantage in the race against league leaders Real Madrid. Barca now have 26 points after 12 matches, while their rivals have 30 points thanks to their victory in the Madrid derby.

With Suarez suspended and Messi rested after the international break, Barca fielded an attacking line-up consisting of Neymar, Alcacer, and a midfielder promoted to replace Turan. With this formation, the home team only managed to gain superior ball control but couldn't break through Malaga's solid defense. Coach Juande Ramos deployed Malaga with three central defenders and two wing-backs, a tactic that effectively minimized threats to goalkeeper Kameni's goal.

Besides losing two players who were leading the race for the Golden Boot, Barca could also blame their poor finishing. The score could have been 1-0 in favor of the home team if the referee hadn't called Alcacer offside when he put the ball into Malaga's net in the fourth minute. Shortly after, Neymar had a volley that went wide of the net, and Pique's header was saved by goalkeeper Kameni.

Pique had several opportunities to score but failed to convert any of them.

Playing defensively and relying on counter-attacks, Malaga even came close to scoring with two chances that fell to Sandro Ramirez. The striker, currently on loan from... Barca, took a low shot that went straight to goalkeeper Ter Stegen before Pique cleared the ball right at his feet.

After the break, the match resumed with Malaga playing a more cautious game. Barca controlled possession for 80% of the time but were unable to break through goalkeeper Kameni's defense. Malaga even missed a chance to open the scoring when Juankar dribbled past Ter Stegen and shot wide of the net.

The visiting team started to be reduced to ten men from the 69th minute. At this point, Diego Llorente received a direct red card after a dangerous tackle on Neymar.

Malaga's defense proved effective with its large numbers and aggressive style of play.

Despite taking the lead, Barca continued to disappoint with their finishing. Pique missed the best chance of the match, heading over the bar from a Mascherano cross. Ivan Rakitic had a long-range shot wide of the goal, and Andre Gomes's shot grazed the crossbar. Pique also had a penalty denied after being fouled by Mikel Villanueva inside the penalty area.

In injury time, in an attempt to protect the draw, Malaga received another direct red card for Juankar. This gave Barca another advantage, but the remaining time was not enough to score a goal.

According to VNE