Messi scores another hat trick in victory over Malaga (Photo: Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images)

An inspired three-goal performance from Lionel Messi saw Barcelona defeat Malaga 4-1 at La Rosaleda, keeping the Catalans within striking distance of Real Madrid in the race for the La Liga title.

It's always tough to take your focus away from Clasico clashes. Hence Barca's visit to Malaga could be a herculean task in some aspect. First you have to get your feet back on the ground following a sweet victory at Bernebeu, then the big task - keeping the Wednesday's clash with real Madrid at camp Nou in the background.

Here is Malaga player Martín Demichelis talking about the Copa Del Rey loss to Real Madrid and this weekend's La Liga match with Atletico Madrid (In Spanish). English Translations below:

COMMENT 1: Copa Del Rey 1st leg last 16 defeat to Real Madrid
Question: Defeat against Real?

The Line-up for the Game against Bolivia is:
Pastore -- Higuain -- Messi
Alvarez -- Mascherano -- Gago
Rodriguez -- Burdisso -- Demichelis -- Zabaleta
Sabella, the coach of Argentina's National team has selected his 21+ players for the second round of games against Bolivia & Colombia this November 2011 for the 2014 World Cup qualifications.

Sabella, the coach of Argentina's National team has selected his 21 players for the second round of games against Bolivia & Colombia this November 2011 for the 2014 World Cup qualifications.
Players left out from the previous games are: Ricky Alvarez, Rodrigo Palacio, Nicolás Otamendi, Eduardo Salvio, Jonás Gutiérrez, Nico Pareja, Emiliano Insúa y Fabián Rinaudo.

27.10.2011 - Alejandro Sabella dio a conocer la lista de 21 jugadores que actúan en el exterior, para los partidos ante Bolivia y Colombia (11 y 15 de noviembre 2011), en Buenos Aires y Barranquilla respectivamente, correspondientes a las eliminatorias sudamericanas para Brasil 2014.
Messi, Lionel (Barcelona - España)Mascherano, Javier (Barcelona - España)Di María, Ángel (Real Madrid - España)Higuaín, Gonzalo (Real Madrid - España)Banega, Ever (Valencia - España)Demichelis, Martín (Málaga - España)Romero, Sergio (Sampdoria - Italia)Andújar, Mariano (Catania - Italia)Burdisso, Nicolás (Roma - Italia)Gago, Fernando (Roma - Italia)Fernández, Federico (Nápoli - Italia)Lavezzi, Ezequiel (Nápoli - Italia)Denis, Germán (Atalanta - Italia)Pastore, Javier (Paris S.

20.10.2011 - Junto a Jordania, Australia e Irán, Japón viene pisando fuerte en la (tercera fase de la) Eliminatoria mundialista (2014) de Asia (que disputan los 20 equipos clasificados para 4.5 plazas).
La goleada (8-0) sobre Tayiskistán lo consolida (al tope del grupo C) reafirmando el notable crecimiento del fútbol japonés en los últimos tiempos.

Selección argentina viaja a Venezuela para choque por eliminatoriasLa selección argentina viajó la mañana del lunes a Venezuela para enfrentar el martes en Puerto La Cruz al representativo local por la segunda fecha de las eliminatorias sudamericanas para el Mundial de Brasil-2014.
El equipo argentino partió en vuelo chárter hacia la ciudad venezolana de Barcelona, desde donde se dirigirá en autobús a Puerto La Cruz.

06.10.2011 - Comienzan las eliminatorias sudamericanas (07.10.2011) para 4 cupos (sobre 9) en el próximo Mundial Brasil 2014. Según el cronograma establecido, en la 1º fecha Argentina recibe a Chile, Uruguay a Bolivia, Ecuador a Venezuela y Perú a Paraguay (libre Colombia).
A continuación, los planteles convocados por los seleccionadores de cada país para los primeros dos enfrentamientos (7 y 11 de octubre de 2011).

Sabella, the new coach of Argentina's National team has selected his 27 players for the start of the 2014 World Cup qualification. The first two games will be against Chile & Venezuela
Argentina Vs Chile: October 7th 2011 (Friday)
Argentina Vs Venezuela: Oct 11th 2011 (Tuesday)
Strikers/Forwards:
Nicolás Gaitán (Benfica)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid)
Sergio Agüero (Manchester City)
Rodrigo Palacio (Genoa)
Eduardo Salvio (Atlético de Madrid)
Germán Denis (Atalanta)
Midfielders:
Ever Banega (Valencia)
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona)
Fabián Rinaudo (Sporting)
Rodrigo Braña (Estudiantes)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle)
Ricardo Alvarez (Inter)
José Sosa (Metallist)
Javier Pastore (Paris Saint Germain)
Angel Di María (Real Madrid)
Defenders:
Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City)
Nicolás Burdisso (Roma)
Federico Fernández (Napoli)
Martín Demichelis (Málaga)
Nicolás Otamendi (Porto)
Nicolas Pareja (Spartak Moscú)
Marcos Rojo (Spartak Moscú)
Emiliano Insúa (Sporting)
Goalies:
Sergio Romero (Sampdoria)
Mariano Andújar (Catania)
Agustín Orion (Boca Juniors)

22.09.2011 - Alejandro Sabella dio a conocer (hoy) la nómina de convocados para los primeros encuentros de las eliminatorias sudamericanas, ante Chile y Venezuela, con miras al Mundial de 2014.
Arqueros
Sergio Romero (Sampdoria, Italia)
Mariano Andújar (Catania, Italia)
DefensoresPablo Zabaleta (Manchester City, Inglaterra)
Nicolás Burdisso (Roma, Italia)
Federico Fernández (Nápoli, Italia)
Martín Demichelis (Málaga, España)
Nicolás Otamendi (Porto, Portugal)
Nicolás Pareja (Spartak Moscú, Rusia)
Marcos Rojo (Spartak Moscú, Rusia)Emiliano Insúa (Sporting, Portugal)
Volantes
Javier Mascherano (Barcelona, España)
Ever Banega (Valencia, España)
Ricardo Alvarez (Inter, Italia)
Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle, Inglaterra)
Fabián Rinaudo (Sporting, Portugal)
José Sosa (Mettalist, Ucrania)
Javier Pastore (PSG, Francia)
Angel Di María (Real Madrid, España)
Nicolás Gaitán (Benfica, Portugal)
Delanteros Lionel Messi (Barcelona, España)
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid, España)
Sergio Agüero (Manchester City, Inglaterra)
Rodrigo Palacio (Genoa, Italia)
Eduardo Salvio (Atl.

06.09.2011 - Con goles de Gonzalo Higuaín (´24), Angel Di María (´26) (ambos asistidos por Messi) y Elderson en contra (´65), Argentina venció (3-1) a Nigeria (Chinedu Obasi ´46) en el Bangabandhu National Stadium (Bangladesh) en la segunda presentación de Alejandro Sabella como nuevo DT.

18.08.2011 - Apenas vuelto de su gira europea, el flamante técnico de la Selección Argentina, Alejandro Sabella, hizo pública la lista de (50) convocados para los próximos compromisos.
Dividiendo el asunto en "Selección Absoluta" y "Selección local" (por llamarlas de algún modo), convocó a la primera para los amistosos programados contra Venezuela y Nigeria (2 y 6 de septiembre 2011 respectivamente) y la "Selección local" para enfrentar a Brasil (no fecha FIFA) el 14 y el 28 de septiembre (2011).

The Fundación Picasso, an organization whose purpose is to promote the works of Pablo Picasso, headquarted at Picasso's birth home on the Plaza de la Merced in Málaga.

Two of the most active clubs in the January transfer window meet together this weekend in an Andalucian derby at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán between Sevilla and Málaga.

Barcelona equalled their club record of 14 successive Liga victories with a 3-0 triumph against Racing Santander on a night when Luís Fabiano starred for Sevilla at home to Levante.

Barca's 28-match unbeaten run in all competitions came to end when they lost the second leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final to Real Betis in midweek, were ahead inside 90 seconds through Pedro's sixth goal of 2011.

FC Barcelona continued their scintillating form in the Spanish Liga with a 4-0 triumph away to Deportivo La Coruna that moved them five points clear of Real Madrid.

Depor had conceded only four times at home in the league prior to the champions' visit but Josep Guardiola's side were typically irrepressible in attack.

That was the question asked on our Chelsea web site yesterday. Are Chelsea too broke to fire Ancelotti? This is what the article said. Do you agree or disagree?

Everything Chelsea does these days seems to revolve around saving money and I wonder if the reason that Carlo Ancelotti is still the Chelsea manager is because the club does not have the £10m it would take to fire him?

Deportivo La Coruña and holders Sevilla moved into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on a night when Josep Guardiola saw his Barcelona squeak through on away goals.

Having been frustrated by Athletic Bilbao in a goalless first leg two weeks ago, Barcelona once again found their opponents difficult to break down.

Which teams are the worst (and best) defensive teams in the big leagues of European soccer? Let's take a look at defensive performance so far this year - since it's roughly the halfway mark everywhere, these numbers should be more or less comparable across teams and leagues (assuming that the leagues are similar in important ways, which we know to be sorta true from previous analyses I've posted here .