Iniesta frustrated by Malaga´s defensive tactics

Andres Iniesta was left frustrated by Barcelona’s inability to break down Malaga’s “nine-man defence” in Wednesday’s La Liga stalemate.

Barca failed to win a competitive match for the first time under the stewardship of head coach Luis Enrique at La Rosaleda as they were unable to muster a single shot on target despite typically dominating possession.

A slight positive for the Catalans came in defence as they maintained their flawless defensive record this term.

Midfielder Iniesta admitted Barca failed to produce their usual speed in attack, but lamented the defensive approach adopted by Malaga.

“We tried to pass the ball about quickly and take control of the game but we struggled to do that because Malaga simply closed up shop at the back,” he told reporters.

“We tried re-organising ourselves but it’s always difficult playing against sides who sit back.

“Malaga deserve credit but we lacked pace to get behind their defence and create chances.

“We did look for other solutions. We’ll always find ourselves up against sides who sit back and defend and it’s up to us to be more precise. We tried but it’s not easy to break past a nine-man defence.”