Adriano scored the only goal as a Barcelona side without the injured Lionel Messi laboured to a 1-0 victory over Malaga.
The Brazilian struck the decisive blow a minute before half-time with a left-footed effort that Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero will have been disappointed to see slip through his grasp.
However, Malaga were left to rue two huge chances after the break as firstly Fabrice struck the post and then Sebastian Fernandez headed straight at Victor Valdes when completely unmarked inside the area in the closing stages.
And Cesc Fabregas admitted that going forward the Catalans will need to improve on their performance in the second period.
“The first-half was very good and we could have scored more,” he told Canal Plus.
“In the second it is true that we lost a bit of our intensity due to tiredness from the game on Wednesday.
“In the last five minutes we struggled but sometimes you have to do that. It was a hard-fought and important victory.”
Neymar starts on bench again
Despite Messi’s absence, Barca boss Gerardo Martino once again started with Neymar on the bench as Fabregas replaced the Argentine, whilst Alex Song and Adriano replaced Sergio Busquets and Dani Alves from the side that started Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the first-leg of the Spanish Super Cup.
Without either of their South American attacking stars, Barca’s build-up play was somewhat ponderous in the first period.
Atletico Madrid continued their 100 per cent record in the league with a 5-0 mauling of Rayo Vallecano.