kept up their 100 per cent home record this season in La Liga with a 2-0 win over Malaga on Saturday, but their first goal of the game should never have counted, according to dpa. Barcelona grabbed the lead inside two minutes after Gerard Deulofeu scored, although the ball had been out of play when Lucas Digne crossed from the left. Malaga players appealed but the goal stood and Barcelona had the perfect start against the Primera Division's bottom team. Home fans at the Camp Nou had to wait until minute 56 before the second goal finally fell. Lionel Messi played in Andres Iniesta and the 33-year-old veteran finished spectacularly into the top corner. Luis Suarez missed from close range after being teed up by Sergio Roberto but, with Malaga not testing Marc Andre ter Stegen, two goals were more than enough. "It's very difficult when you come to the Camp Nou and you are 1-0 down so early," said Malaga coach Michel, adding that his side has been on the wrong end of referee calls lately. "I know it's difficult to be a referee, but is it really that hard?" he asked. "Barcelona are an excellent team and they don't gift you anything. I'm not worried about this team because I see them trying a lot of things and we have to keep going." Barcelona midfielder Sergio Roberto said after the game that it was "important that we got the win today because Valencia are pushing us hard." Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde also said he was "happy" with his team's performance and defended Uruguayan striker Suarez's lack of recent goals. "It's the third game that Suarez has played in six days," Valverde said. "He was brilliant against Atletico and then he played against Olympiacos." "He always has chances in games. He is a guarantee for us. The more he misses the better because it shows he's getting in those positions for us." Earlier, Valencia stayed second behind Barcelona with a thumping 4-0 win at home to Sevilla. Goncalo Guedes scored the first just before half-time with a spectacular goal from the edge of the area and Simone Zaza made it 2-0 just 10 minutes into the second period. It was Zaza's eighth goal in nine games in the league this season. Guedes almost pushed it to 3-0 but Sergio Rico denied him with a fine save. However, Valencia got the third on 85 minutes when Guedes played Santi Mina through and he finished through Rico's legs. Guedes then completed the rout in injury time with his second of the game. "It's difficult to play as well as we did in the first half," said a delighted Valencia coach Marcelino after the match. "The supporters can be euphoric but we can't be complacent. We need to stay on this path."
