COPA DEL REY: Messi misses penalty as Barca lose to Espanyol in first defeat of season

Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi missed a penalty as Barcelona suffered a first defeat since August in their Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg against Espanyol.

The Argentine failed to put Barca ahead when he took a spot kick, after a foul on Sergi Roberto, and was denied by goalkeeper Diego Lopez in the 62nd minute.

But with two minutes left on the clock, Espanyol’s Oscar Melendo slotted home the winner after racing onto Marc Navarro’s cross.

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The second leg of the encounter takes place at the Nou Camp on Thursday, 25 January, and the winners on aggregate will advance to the semis.

In the other quarter-final game on Wednesday night, Atletico Madrid fell 2-1 to Sevilla, with Diego Costa’s 3rd goal in 4 matches not enough for the home side.

Elsewhere, Goncalo Guedes and Rodrigo scored in the second half as Valencia came from behind to record a 2-1 win over La Liga strugglers Alaves.

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