CHAPTER 219 : Malaga (1) - Barcelona (4) [analysis]

Alternative title: Rain Doesn’t Stop the Barça Train

Positives

• Win obtained.
• Another win on the road. Furthermore considering that the opposition was Malaga, who they themselves were on a continuous winning streak themselves (beating Sevilla just last week).
• The win streak is now on the 11th roll. It’s now seven straight wins in the league.
• Another big win.
• The real big positive point was that Barcelona won under difficult circumstances. Not only did they managed to beat a rival that was on a winning roll themselves on their homeground, but Barça beat them on a muddy, wet soaked and damn uncomfortable pitch.
• The rain factor was a factor out of anybody’s hands.
• But what is great is that the fitness of Barça’s players prevailed in this game. As evidently they won the game with great resolve and pulling through with the victory and also dominating the play more than Malaga. Also need to be considered is that Barça hustled for each ball throughout (and under all the hard circumstances that this game presented).
• The game began with another quick start from Barça, a 5th minute goal.
• Xavi scored a great freekick.
• Barça recovered and retook the lead quickly after Duda equalized for Malaga. Props to Messi who never gave up fighting for the ball and went on to score the second.
• Three goals scored were instigated from set-pieces. Barça are becoming dangerous from set-pieces.
• Even though the last goal of the game would have been credited as an own goal from Welington, nevertheless it was from a blast of a freekick yet again from Daniel Alves. Following up from his freekick goal from last week, Alves is now on a freekick roll.
• From such difficult circumstances once again, it’s a good point and sign that none of the players got injured.
• Second last positive point to make out is that this Barcelona prevailed under a different situation presented to them none other than situations from the previous games. Barça not only defeated Malaga, but also beat a bad pitch and a bad weather.
• Final positive point, Barcelona is now league leaders (after Valencia’s surprising 2 - 4 defeat against Racing Santander).
• Now, at most, just another 29 more wins needed to go.

Negatives

• The clean sheet record is broken.
• Maybe Pique could have done a bit better in preventing Duda’s shot that resulted in Malaga’s equalizer.