Referee Alejandro Hernandez gave Weligton a yellow card after he grabbed Messi’s cheeks
On the same day that Luis Suarez scored twice for a Barcelona B team XI, his club were reminded just how much they need the striker available for the first team as they failed to register a single shot on target in a tame goalless draw against Malaga.
On a frustrating evening for the visitors Lionel Messi was grabbed by the throat and pushed to the ground by Weligton, only for the defender to be given a yellow card.
‘I grabbed Messi’s face because he called me a “son of a b****’,” he claimed to reporters after the match.
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi was well marshalled by Malaga’s resolute defensive unit
Luis Enrique’s side had to wait 15 minutes for their first real chance when Messi went close with a free-kick that sailed just over Kameni’s bar.
‘We tried to play our usual game but they were very tight defensively and we could find not way through,’ said Andres Iniesta after a game in which Barca failed to trouble Malaga keeper Carlos Kameni.
A minute later Jordi Alba crossed for Pedro to shoot just wide. Malaga were comfortable however and it was no surprise when the two teams went down the tunnel at half time still goalless.
Messi had dropped deeper in the first half and just before the break he shuffled past three players before playing the ball out wide to Jordi Alba, but then failed to get on the end of Alba’s over-hit cross.
Barça’s threat seemed to be coming only down the left as debutant Douglas played things far too safe down down the right. Playing instead of the rested Dani Alves he did not put a foot wrong defensively but so much more is asked of a Barcelona full-back and he was not offering it in the a very conservative first 45 minutes.
Barca laboured at the start of the second half with Neymar getting on the end of a Rakitic cross but Malaga still coping well with the opposition’s limited threat.
A clumsy jump from Douglas on Amrabat had the referee pondering a penalty but Barcelona were given the benefit of the doubt.
As his team continued to toil in vain Enrique made his first changes on the hour taking off the disappointing Neymar and the equally ineffective Pedro.
Malaga’s Weligton could have been sent off after pushing Messi to the ground
Sandro and Munir were the changes and the former immediately got to the byline and forced a corner.
But at the other end Roberto Rosales flashed a shot just past Bravo’s far post as Malaga grew in confidence with Liverpool loanee Luis Alberto on against his former club and forcing a free-kick from another poor Douglas challenge. He took the kick and forced a fine save from Bravo at his near post. Finally on 72 minutes Douglas was replaced by Adriano.
Pique connected with a Rakitic corner but with his shoulder instead of his head and Kameni made the save – it seemed to sum up Barça’s night.
Messi was pushed to the ground by Weligton and should have been sent off for what was a hand to the Barcelona’s No 10’s throat and then face, but the referee showed only a yellow and Arambat so nearly stole all the points at the end for the home side.
The duo have history together, with the defender previously caught stamping on the star forward.
