Match ends, Málaga 1, Real Madrid 1.
MalagaMalaga1Real MadridReal Madrid1
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a disputed header and missed a penalty as Real Madrid drew at Malaga to trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by nine points.
After a quiet start, Real forward Ronaldo headed in Toni Kroos' free-kick despite looking offside.
He then had a penalty saved by Carlos Kameni after he was brought down.
Keylor Navas kept Real in the game with several fine saves but Raul Albentosa was unmarked at the back post to fire in the equaliser.
Both goalkeepers were in fine form but rather than view this as two points dropped, Real may look at the result as a point gained given the chances that fell to their opponents, who moved into the top half of the table.
The result matched the goalless draw that Javier Garcia's side achieved in the Bernabeu earlier in the season and although Zinedine Zidane's team temporarily moved into second, Atletico Madrid overtook them later on Sunday after a goalless draw with fourth-placed Villarreal.
The Madrid derby takes place at the Bernabeu next Saturday but Atletico also face a trip to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Ronaldo fortunate to break 'goal drought'
Ronaldo walked out of a midweek news conference ahead of Real's Champions League tie at Roma when he was asked about his record of not having scored away from home since 29 November.
But after scoring in the 2-0 win in Rome and at Malaga he answered those critics, although four league games without an away goal hardly constituted a drought.
He was fortunate not to be flagged offside when he nodded in the opener, his 34th goal of the season, and he made the most of the touch he drew from Weligton in winning the penalty.
Malaga will feel that justice was served when Kameni saved to his left, with the Cameroon goalkeeper also keeping out Ronaldo's near-post shot later in the game.
Zidane watches shaky defence
Real were without the injured Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, in addition to the suspended Raphael Varane, and it was at the back that they looked most vulnerable, particularly with several dubious back-passes early on.
Keeper Navas came to the defence's rescue on a number of occasions, saving from Juanpi, Duje Cop and a deflected effort from Ricardo Horta.
A more ruthless attack would have punished those mistakes and although Zidane extended his unbeaten start at Real to eight games, a second draw could prove costly in the title race.
Line-ups
Malaga
Formation 4-4-2
- 1KameniBooked at 90mins
- 18Rosales
- 2Albentosa
- 3Pena de OliveiraBooked at 35mins
- 23TorresBooked at 2mins
- 28Añor AcostaBooked at 40minsSubstituted forBarbosa Valenteat 89'minutes
- 14García del Pozo
- 6CamachoBooked at 55mins
- 10Ricardo HortaSubstituted forFornalsat 63'minutes
- 9Dias de Oliveira
- 20CopSubstituted forSanta Cruzat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Uche
- 13Ochoa
- 17Barbosa Valente
- 19Boka
- 21Filipenko
- 24Santa Cruz
- 31Fornals
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Navas
- 15Carvajal
- 6Nacho
- 4Ramos
- 12MarceloBooked at 24mins
- 19ModricBooked at 71mins
- 8Kroos
- 16Kovacic
- 20Rodríguez RuizSubstituted forVázquezat 61'minutes
- 22IscoSubstituted forRodríguezat 75'minutes
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
Substitutes
- 10Rodríguez
- 13Casilla
- 14Casemiro
- 17Arbeloa
- 18Vázquez
- 23Danilo
- 29Mayoral Moya
- Referee:
- Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva
- Attendance:
- 28,290
Match Stats
Home TeamMalagaAway TeamReal Madrid
- Possession
- Home38%
- Away62%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away7
- Corners
- Home6
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Málaga 1, Real Madrid 1.
Post update
Foul by Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).
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Raúl Albentosa (Málaga) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. James Rodríguez (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Marcelo with a cross.
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Foul by Marcelo (Real Madrid).
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Ignacio Camacho (Málaga) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Lucas Vázquez (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Charles (Málaga).
Booking
Carlos Kameni (Málaga) is shown the yellow card.
Substitution
Substitution, Málaga. Duda replaces Juanpi.
Post update
Offside, Real Madrid. Marcelo tries a through ball, but Mateo Kovacic is caught offside.
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Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Roberto Rosales.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match Weligton (Málaga) because of an injury.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match Juanpi (Málaga) because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Málaga. Roque Santa Cruz replaces Duje Cop.
Post update
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Duje Cop (Málaga).
