Sevilla were left to rue a series of missed early chances by striker Kevin Gameiro as the new La Liga season kicked off with a goalless Andalusian derby in Malaga.

In the end, the visitors were happy to settle for a point following the second-half dismissal of debutant Steven N’Zonzi, but they would have been well ahead by that stage had Gameiro shown more accuracy.

Both sides included a number of new signings, but one new boy not selected was Sevilla’s new Italian striker, Ciro Immobile, who was left on the bench.

Unai Emery soon regretted that decision, however, as Gameiro missed a trio of early chances. First, the Frenchman sent a rebound into the side-netting after Ever Banega’s shot was saved, then steered Jose Antonio Reyes’s cross wide, and finally blazed over after being released by Reyes.

Sevilla were on top in those early stages and again came close to the opener when Grzegorz Krychowiak sent a header over the bar.

But Malaga gradually came into the game and frontman Duje Cop, a summer arrival from Cagliari, forced Sevilla keeper Beto to save with his legs before Ricardo Horta fired well off target.

After a scrappy start to the second half, Malaga left-back Arthur Boka livened up proceedings with a winding run into the penalty area, culminating in a shot over the bar.

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N’Zonzi was then sent off for two yellow cards, the first of which had earlier come when he senselessly prevented a throw-in from being taken near the halfway line.

Malaga soon seized the initiative against the 10 men, and Nordin Amrabat produced a diving save from Beto with a fierce long-range strike.

The hosts pushed hard for a late winner and were denied in controversial circumstances during a frantic phase of play.

Firstly Boka had a penalty appeal waved away as he went down in the box, and as play continued the loose ball ran to Juan Carlos who squared for Charles to convert – but he was flagged offside, despite replays appearing to show that he had been behind the ball.

Amrabat sent a free header weakly at Beto and Charles had a backheel scrambled away, and both teams had to settle for a point.