Much-changed Barca still too good for Celta

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Barcelona moved four points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga as they eased to a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Tuesday.

Alexis Sanchez continued his fine scoring form after netting the decisive goal in Barca's 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the weekend when he tapped home the opener after just nine minutes.

Celta had their chances to equalise towards the end of the first period, but went two behind at the beginning of the second when Cesc Fabregas' drive rebounded into his own net off goalkeeper Yoel Rodriguez and Fabregas added a third with a clinical finish soon after.

"There are games where we have lacked a little punch up front, like against Osasuna when we didn't take advantage of our chances," Fabregas told Canal Plus.

"This time they have gone in. The important thing is to continue creating chances and play well and the goals will arrive."

With Barca in the midst of seven games in 22 days, coach Gerardo Martino made five changes from the side that started the match against Madrid on Saturday.

Javier Mascherano, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Neymar all dropped to the bench, whilst Gerard Pique was left out of the squad due to an ongoing hamstring problem.

And Martino was happy with the control displayed by his side in the second-half after a slightly shaky spell towards half-time.

"I thought we won quite comfortably, we just had one period before half-time where we let Celta get in behind our midfield more easily.

"We started well and our idea to play Cesc closer to Messi to pressure their defence worked.

"In the second-half we managed the game far easier because Cesc made it a margin of three goals in a matter of minutes."

Carles Puyol, Marc Bartra, Alex Song, Pedro and Sanchez returned to the starting line up and it was the Chilean who notched his sixth goal of the season after just nine minutes.

Fabregas was played through on goal by Pedro and after his shot had been beaten away by Yoel, Sanchez had the simple task of tapping home the rebound.

But Celta improved mightily as the half wore on and Barca were again indebted to goalkeeper Victor Valdes for keeping them in front at the break.

On-loan midfielder Rafinha Alcantara was inches away from equalising against his parent club on 28 minutes with a driven effort that flew just wide.

Valdes was then forced to block another fiercely struck effort from Rafinha barely a minute later and Celta were right to complain when they then had a goal ruled out for a very soft foul on the keeper after he flapped at a cross from the right.

However, Barca put the result beyond any doubt just three minutes after the restart when Fabregas' wonderful effort from 25 yards struck the bar and rebounded into the net off the unfortunate Yoel in the Celta goal.

Six minutes later it was 3-0 as Messi again fed Fabregas and this time he made sure it was his name on the scoresheet as he drilled the ball low past Yoel at his near post.

The only negative note of the evening for Barca was a third consecutive league game without a goal for Messi.

However, it wasn't for the want of trying on the Argentine's part as he forced Yoel into a series of fine saves to keep the score down in the final stages.

Messi-less Barca still too much for Malaga

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Adriano scored the only goal as a Barcelona side without the injured Lionel Messi laboured to a 1-0 victory over Malaga.

The Brazilian struck the decisive blow a minute before half-time with a left-footed effort that Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero will have been disappointed to see slip through his grasp.

However, Malaga were left to rue two huge chances after the break as firstly Fabrice struck the post and then Sebastian Fernandez headed straight at Victor Valdes when completely unmarked inside the area in the closing stages.

And Cesc Fabregas admitted that going forward the Catalans will need to improve on their performance in the second period.

"The first-half was very good and we could have scored more," he told Canal Plus.

"In the second it is true that we lost a bit of our intensity due to tiredness from the game on Wednesday.

"In the last five minutes we struggled but sometimes you have to do that. It was a hard-fought and important victory."

Despite Messi's absence, Barca boss Gerardo Martino once again started with Neymar on the bench as Fabregas replaced the Argentine, whilst Alex Song and Adriano replaced Sergio Busquets and Dani Alves from the side that started Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the first-leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

Without either of their South American attacking stars, Barca's build-up play was somewhat ponderous in the first period as they failed to break down a solid but limited Malaga side.

Andres Iniesta then fired an effort from the edge of the area straight down Caballero's throat, but the Argentine was forced into a stunning save nine minutes before the break as he blocked Alexis Sanchez's header from point-blank range.

However, Caballero was slightly at fault when Barca did eventually take the lead as Adriano cut inside onto his left foot and his curling effort flew over the Malaga keeper's outstretched arm on its way into the far corner.

Gerard Pique nearly added a fortunate second after the break as Xavi's free-kick rebounded off the defender's back and looped off the crossbar before Martino finally introduced Neymar just after the hour mark.

Malaga then passed up a huge opportunity to level with their first clear opening of the match as Roque Santa Cruz rounded Valdes and from a tight angle cut the ball back for Fabrice, but the young Cameroonian could only pull his effort off the base of the post.

Neymar nearly made it two goals in as many games with a well-struck free-kick that Caballero did well to parry to safety.

And Malaga passed up another great chance in the final minute as Jesus Gamez's cross found Fernandez completely unmarked, only for the Uruguayan to head straight at Valdes, while the Barca keeper comfortably held Fernando Tissone's follow-up.

Barca's win took them to the top the table by a single goal ahead of Atletico Madrid after Diego Simeone's men continued their 100 percent record in the league with a 5-0 mauling of Rayo Vallecano at the Vicente Calderon.

Raul Garcia, Diego Costa and Arda Turan had the hosts 3-0 up after just 34 minutes and further goals from Tiago and Garcia after the break rounded off a perfect afternoon for Atleti ahead of the second-leg of the Super Cup at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Sevilla's faltering start to their league campaign continued as they could only manage a 0-0 draw away to Levante.

And it was an even worse night for the other half of Seville as Real Betis lost 2-1 at home to Celta Vigo.