Messi’s miss costs Barca in cup derby defeat
LIONEL Messi missed a penalty as Espanyol struck in the dying moments to consign Barcelona to their first defeat since August, 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Oscar Melendo slotted home a neat finish with two minutes remaining of a temperamental derby cup tie, racing onto Marc Navarro’s low cross to punish Messi for missing a 62nd-minute penalty and send the home crowd into raptures.
“We knew this day would come, we tried to delay it as much as possible but it couldn’t be today,” said Sergio Busquets after the match.
“The good thing is that we have the second leg to try to mount a comeback.We are lucky to have that game at home, and we will have to win whatever happens.”
In a match of few chances Barca’s penalty, which came after a foul on Sergi Roberto, looked to be the decisive moment for the away side, but Espanyol keeper Diego Lopez dived superbly to his left to push Messi’s powerful shot wide.
Navarro then came close to giving the hosts the lead in the 83rd minute with a dipping freekick that forced an excellent save from Jasper Cillessen, before five minutes later setting up the goal that gave Espanyol their first win over Barcelona in nearly nine years.
Diego Costa’s third goal in four matches wasn’t enough for Atletico Madrid as Sevilla twice scored late to stun their hosts 2-1 in the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Valencia came close to being shocked at their Mestalla stadium by Alaves, who are languishing in 17th place in La Liga and are just two points above the relegation zone, but Goncalo Guedes and Rodrigo scored in nine second-half minutes to overturn Ruben Sobrino’s 66th-minute opener for the away side.
Struggling Real Madrid and their under-fire boss Zinedine Zidane were to travel to Leganes yesterday.