Barcelona overcame the absence of Lionel Messi to win 2-0 at basement club Malaga on Saturday as goals from Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho sent the Catalans 11 points clear at the top of La Liga.

Messi missed a league game for the first time this season to attend the birth of his third son Ciro, but Barca barely needed their talisman against free-falling Malaga, who had striker Samu Garcia sent off after half an hour for a studs- up challenge on Jordi Alba.

Suarez headed home a looping cross from Alba to give Barca the lead in the 15th minute and his former Liverpool team mate Coutinho struck the second in the 28th with a backheel from close range after an impressive dribble from Ousmane Dembele.

Malaga were the last team to beat Barcelona in the league, derailing their title bid with a 2-0 win last April and they created two chances in the first half but could not test visiting goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Messi will return when Barca host Chelsea in a Champions League last-16 second leg game on Wednesday but captain Andres Iniesta is fighting to return from a hamstring injury.

"Leo is the best player in the world and we always need him," Coutinho told reporters.

"We congratulate him and we are looking forward to having him back in the next game.

"We came here expecting a difficult night but we managed to score early and with an extra man we were able to control the game."

Barca are unbeaten in the league and lead the standings with 72 points, 11 clear of Atletico Madrid who host Celta Vigo on Sunday.