With Real Madrid dropping points during their 1-1 draw with cross city rivals Atletico earlier on Saturday evening, Barcelona's trip to Malaga in the late kick off was the perfect opportunity for them to leapfrog Los Blancos at the top of the table.

However, when given an opportunity like that, teams can often go missing or choke on the pressure to pull something out of the bag. Barcelona should never have this kind of problem, but that's often the beauty of football.

The visiting Catalans were expected to take the game to Malaga from the off, but put in a first half performance so below their usual standards it was as if we weren't watching a team often regarded as the best in the world.

A goal from former Barca forward Sandro Ramirez put the hosts ahead in the 33rd minute, but the title contenders may have had an inkling that it wasn't going to be their night not 10 minutes earlier when Neymar picked up a bizarre yellow card.

The Brazilian international has been in fine form for both club and country recently, but that all turned on its head in the space of an hour.

He appeared to be tying up his laces in front of a Malaga player waiting to take a free kick, but the referee took that as him trying to hold up play and promptly pulled out a yellow card and flashed it his way.

See for yourself below...

A number of yellow cards were shown during the game, including another one for Neymar, which was his second.

The playmaker went through the back of a Malaga player rather cynically, and the ref, again, showed no hesitation in reaching for his pocket.

What was meant to be a chance for the club to pull level with Real and set up a photo finish turned into a season defining low point.

See the incident below...

Neymar appeared to be sarcastically applauding someone as he trudged off the pitch, and no doubt he'll be feeling as though he cost them a chance to close the gap.

Especially as Malaga added a second late on to compound Barca's misery. It seems that the title is once again Real's to lose.