JOIN USReal Madrid made sure Barcelona will have to wait at least until Sunday to wrap up a 22nd La Liga title when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 200th goal for the club in a 6-2 win at home to nine-man Malaga on Wednesday.
Barca need two more points to wrest the league crown back from their arch rivals and secure a fourth title in five years and a win at third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday would be enough for Tito Vilanova’s side.
Barca have 88 points from 34 of 38 matches, with Real in second on 80 from 35. Atletico, eight points further back in third, secured a berth in the Champions League group stage with a 3-1 win at struggling Celta Vigo earlier on Wednesday.
Centre back Raul Albiol nodded Real in front from a corner in the third minute before Roque Santa Cruz, who scored in Malaga's 3-2 home win against Real in December, levelled after a quarter of an hour.
The match turned in the 21st minute when Malaga defender Sergio Sanchez was shown a straight red card for bringing Ronaldo down in the area.
Although the Portuguese had his spot kick saved by Willy Caballero, who injured his ankle in the process and had to be replaced by Carlos Kameni, Ronaldo netted with an indirect free kick close to goal in the 26th minute. It was his 200th goal on his 197th appearance for Real since joining from Manchester United for a record fee in 2009 and his 34th in La Liga this season.
Mesut Ozil, Luka Modric and Angel Di Maria scored the other goals while Vitorino Antunes pulled a goal back for Malaga. Ozil then suffered an injury, causing concerns for Real ahead of the Kings Cup final.