Malaga Club Focus - More problems for Pellegrini after Barca defeat
Malaga Coach Manuel Pellegrini admitted his team needs to improve ‘in all areas’ following their comprehensive defeat to Barcelona at La Rosaleda on Sunday. The result saw the Costa del Sol side slide further away from the European qualifying places, but it was the manner of their defeat that angered supporters.
Sunday’s loss means Los Blanquiazules have gone six games and almost two months in La Liga without a win. Picking up only two points from a possible 18 in that time, they now occupy 10th place in the table, their lowest position since the opening day defeat against Sevilla. While few will have expected them to beat Barcelona, Malaga’s lack of fight against the Champions gave cause for concern.
“We have for a while been looking for ways to change many things that I have been unhappy with,” said Pellegrini after the match. “We have problems in all areas. In the first half we had four chances and did not convert them. The team has to learn to overcome these difficulties and we have to improve – everything and everyone.”
Malaga had started the game brightly, with Isco drawing successive saves from Victor Valdes, but were undone when Barca took control after half an hour, Lionel Messi beating Willy Caballero with a powerful header. A five-minute burst early in the second half effectively killed the match, Alexis Sanchez firing home from close range before Messi grabbed his second. The Argentinian went on to complete his third hat-trick of the season nine minutes from time.
Malaga are not the first side to be made to look inadequate by Barca and they will not be the last. Not only did Pep Guardiola enjoy the luxury of having Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas on the bench, but he was also able to keep them there all evening, such was the gulf between the two teams. Pellegrini’s men had only 28% of possession throughout the game but, unlike their opponents, were largely ineffective without the ball. The Chilean, however, denied his players had lacked commitment.
“That depends on your point of view. Of course, after 3-0 the intensity disappeared, but I do not think we lacked it in the first half, when Barcelona caused little sense of danger in our penalty area,” said Pellegrini. “That shows our strength, but within two minutes of the second half, Barca cemented the game. It’s tough playing against them, but there wasn’t a problem of intensity or a lack of spirit.”
Pellegrini handed Ignacio Comacho a start in midfield as replacement for the suspended Jeremy Toulalan. Together with his teammates, the former Atletico Madrid player struggled at times even to get close to Barca’s creative midfield, eventually receiving a yellow card for a vicious tackle on Sergio Busquets. Some supporters began to whistle and jeer at their team’s ineffectiveness in the second half, but the Coach played down their reactions.
“If there’s something you cannot complain about, it is whistling at the players or the coaching staff. The public have always supported us. Their expectations are always high and that should be reflected on the pitch, but it takes a while,” Pellegrini explained. “We have patience in the technical area and among the directors. I do not think that the solution is to sign more players, we know that we will improve and we have to prove it.”
One positive for Pellegrini was the response of his substitutes. Recio, making his first appearance of the season, looked particularly lively when he replaced the tiring Santi Cazorla with fifteen minutes remaining. His stinging shot in the closing stages was only parried by Valdes and Salomon Rondon, on for the ineffective Ruud van Nistelrooy, salvaged some pride for Malaga, sliding the ball home from a tight angle for only his third goal of the season.
The departure of the unsettled Apono last week on loan to Real Zaragoza could provide an opportunity for Recio to force his way into Pellegrini’s thinking on a more permanent basis. A product of the club’s youth system, the 21-year-old Malaga native has set his sights on next Sunday’s Andalucian derby against Sevilla at La Rosaleda.
“I have always worked hard and I will continue doing that, so the coach can count on me. I’m very happy to have made my debut and I’ll be working hard to play against Sevilla,” said Recio after Sunday’s game. “The dressing room is a sad place now and we have had a poor run of results that we have to end. We’ll be preparing for the derby was well as we can, because we have to win it.”
One player who could well have played his last game for Malaga is defender Kris Stadsgaard. The 26-year-old Dane has fallen out of favour under Pellegrini and, according to Eldesmarque Malaga, has spent the past week in Denmark ironing out the terms of a loan deal with FC Copenhagen.
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