Isco scored one and set up another a comfortable victory against Malaga for a much-changed Real Madrid side.

Lionel Messi's wife Antonella Roccuzzo is expecting a boy, a brother to five-year-old Thiago and Mateo, who is two.

Real Madrid won their 33rd La Liga title and first for five years as Cristiano Ronaldo's 40th goal of the season helped seal a 2-0 victory at Malaga on Sunday.

Sergio Ramos scored a brace to help Real Madrid beat Malaga in La Liga on Saturday.

Lionel Messi was ruled out just hours before Barcelona's La Liga clash against Malaga due to illness, whilst Luis Suarez was suspended

Real Madrid remain nine points behind Barcelona with 13 games to go after Raul Albentosa cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener 24 minutes from time.

Lionel Messi made the difference as he volleyed home his 20th goal of the season to move Barcelona a point clear of Atletico Madrid in top spot in La Liga.

Atletico Madrid would have gone top of the La Liga has they beaten Malaga given Barcelona's preoccupation with the FIFA Club world Cup in Japan.

Carlos Kameni of Malaga put on an inspired display as he denied Real Madrid a chance to go on top of the La Liga.

Thomas Vermaelen succeeded where Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar failed as he fired the only goal of the game past the excellent Carlos Kameni 18 minutes from time.

Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale netted a goal each as Real Madrid defeated Malaga 2-1 to record a club record 16th consecutive win in all competitions.

Barcelona stretched their run without conceding a goal to six games, but lacked the spark they have shown so far this season as Lionel Messi was kept in check by the Malaga defence.

Athletic Bilbao will be hoping for an immediate response to the loss when they host Napoli in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier at home on Wednesday with the tie locked at 1-1 from the first leg.

All four Primera Liga matches on Saturday will take place in Andalusia, where the temperature will be high.

However, manager Gerardo Martino refused to confirm that Messi's absence would mean a first start in a Barca shirt for Neymar.

Messi has now played the 90 minutes in just one of Barcelona and Argentina's last 27 matches stretching back to when he initially picked up a hamstring strain against Paris Saint-Germain in April.

Santa Cruz spent eight seasons with Bayern Munich before playing for Premier League sides Blackburn and Manchester City.

City's Abu Dhabi-based owners opted to hire Pellegrini from Malaga as their replacement for Roberto Mancini despite the possibility of an approach for Jose Mourinho.