Ten-man Barcelona have suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Malaga at La Rosaleda to miss out on their big chance of making up ground on league leaders Real Madrid.
Los Blancos were held to a 1-1 draw by Atletico Madrid earlier in the day to open the door for Barca to draw level on points at the summit, but goals from Sandro Ramirez and Jony in Andalusia this evening put paid to those hopes.
Barcelona had not previously lost away to Malaga in their past 10 visits, stretching back 14 years, but after being reduced to 10 men for Neymar's second-half red card they were made to pay in the latest twist at the top of the division.
The visitors created only one chance in the first half, which fell the way of 23-goal striker Luis Suarez just short of a quarter of the way into the contest.
Carlos Kameni has made a habit of frustrating Barca in the past, keeping an unrivalled six clean sheets against them in his career - including in November's reverse fixture - and was once again on top form to prevent Suarez's half-volley from finding the top corner.
It was proving to be a half of very few chances in Andalusia, as Malaga themselves created just the one opening for former Barcelona product Sandro Ramirez to tuck away.
The 21-year-old, allowed to leave Camp Nou last summer following seven years of service, beat the offside trap and completely outdid Jeremy Mathieu for pace, running half the length of the pitch and making no mistake up against Marc-Andre ter Stegen for goal number nine of the season.
The only other real sight of goal either side had came towards the end of the opening 45 minutes, with Juanpi blasting high into the stands from inside the box when surrounded by a number of opposition players.
Visiting manager Luis Enrique's decision to rotate his side, with the first leg of the Champions League last-eight tie with Juventus on the horizon, backfired at times in the first half and he responded by bringing on two players at the break.
Andres Iniesta and Sergi Roberto were introduced, the latter taking the place of Mathieu for Javier Mascherano to move from his makeshift position of right-back and into the more familiar central-defensive role.
Malaga had the first big chance of the second period, however, with Ramirez this time laying the ball off for Juanpi to his right at the end of another swift counter, only for the midfielder to pick out Ter Stegen with his attempt.
Suarez was picked out with a cutback but dummied the ball six yards out with none of his teammates behind him, before Neymar headed over unmarked when he had plenty of the goal to aim for.
Just when Barca had started to build some momentum they saw their task become even more difficult, as Neymar - booked in the first half for preventing the opposition from taking a free kick - saw a second yellow after shoulder barging Diego Llorente.
A man down and a goal down, with all three subs used, Enrique's side were badly exposed on the counter a number of times in the remainder and should have been two down when Adalberto Penaranda rounded the keeper and converted, with an incorrect offside flag saving the visitors.
The officials made a bad call at the other end moments later, as Roberto was shoved over inside the area but a free kick was instead awarded, from which Malaga stood strong and quickly countered but substitute Charles was denied by Ter Stegen.
Suarez had one more big chance to level things up, seeing his shot from close range kept out by Kameni, and just two minutes later the Anchovies were putting another counter together which this time ended with Jony - one of three Malaga players waiting to convert - blasting home the killer second.
A second defeat for Barcelona in three away outings leaves them three points adrift of Real Madrid, who still have a game in hand to play following El Clasico later this month.
Daniel Lewis
