Real Madrid extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 30 games with a 1-0 win over Malaga at La Rosaleda in La Liga.
An incident-filled fixture brought just the one goal, with Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half strike enough to secure all the points for Los Blancos, who remain top of the table by three points from city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two Spanish teams.
Match statistics
Malaga
Shots: 13
On target: 4
Possession: 49%
Corners: 7
Fouls: 10
Madrid
Shots: 13
On target: 6
Possession: 51%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 6
Was the result fair?
Malaga might feel that their late surge should have brought them an equaliser this evening, but in truth, Madrid should have had the points wrapped up in the first period. Ronaldo in particular had a number of opportunities after opening the scoring, but could not beat Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero on more than the one occasion. The statistics point to a close affair and while that was the case for long spells, the visitors just about did enough to deserve all the points.
Madrid's performance
Los Blancos have played some sensational football over the last couple of months, but they struggled to find top form this evening at La Rosaleda. That said, the mark of a title-winning team is winning ugly, which was the case this evening. The loss of Karim Benzema to injury in the first period appeared to harm the shape of the team, while Malaga had some joy in the space between Madrid's defence and midfield. It was far from vintage from Carlo Ancelotti's outfit, but it is results and not performances that are vital at this stage of the season.
Malaga's performance
Madrid were far from their best this evening, but credit must be given to Malaga for their spirited performance. That said, despite trailing by just the single goal for a long period, the home side never really offered the impression that they could turn the match around. The majority of their opportunities arrived from long-distance efforts, with Madrid shot-stopper Diego Lopez largely untroubled. Nordin Amrabat was the star of the show for the hosts, but too often they lacked a poacher inside the box, which has been their problem this season.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Raphael Varane: The Frenchman has had a stop-start season due to injuries and the form of Pepe and Sergio Ramos, but the Madrid centre-back, who is still just 20, was brilliant this evening. The towering defender dealt with the aerial bombardment from the home side, while he was also prepared to settle on the ball when necessary. It was a performance of a seasoned veteran, rather than an up-and-coming defender.
Biggest gaffe
Madrid midfielder Isco had a wonderful chance to score against his former club in the early stages of the second period after Angel di Maria had run the length of the field. The Argentine put it on a plate for Isco, but the Spaniard fired high and wide of the crossbar. The youngster has been starved of regular first-team football in the last few months and it showed this evening.
Referee performance
Both sides will feel that they should have been awarded penalties in the first period, but referee Juan Martinez was not interested. First, Malaga defender Marcos Angeleri pulled Gareth Bale to the ground, but no decision was forthcoming. Down the other end, Duda was clipped by Dani Carvajal, but once more, Martinez shook his head. Despite those two controversial moments, the official had a quiet evening, with just two bookings awarded during the 90 minutes.
What next?
Malaga: Malaga continue their fight to remain in La Liga with a trip to in-form Celta Vigo on March 21.
Madrid: Los Blancos switch their attentions to the Champions League on Tuesday when they welcome Schalke 04 in the second leg of their last-16 clash. The Spanish outfit hold a 6-1 lead from the first leg in Germany.
