Barca lose to Espanyol in Cup after Messi penalty miss

Lionel Messi had a penalty saved as triple King's Cup holder Barcelona suffered a surprise 1-0 loss at city rival Espanyol in a quarter-final first leg Wednesday, ending an unbeaten run of 29 games in all competition. Espanyol's academy graduate Oscar Melendo crashed in the only goal of the game in the 88th minute after Messi had his spot-kick turned away by former Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez earlier in the second half. Barca had not lost to Espanyol since 2009 and this was their first defeat by their local rival in the Cup since 1970. The last game they had lost in any competition was in the Spanish Super Cup to Real on Aug. 16.

Lionel Messi misses spot-kick in Catalan derby defeathttps://t.co/qOPcFreeHH pic.twitter.com/2ib2S2R0Sq

— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) January 17, 2018

The second leg of the tie at the Nou Camp is Thursday. Elsewhere, Sevilla battled back from a goal down to win 2-1 at Atletico Madrid as Diego Simeone's decision to rest No 1 goalkeeper Jan Oblak in favour of Miguel Angel Moya backfired. Moya clawed a cross into his own net in the 79th minute to cancel out Diego Costa's arrowed strike six minutes earlier, while Joaquin Correa struck the winner in the 88th to give under-fire new Sevilla coach Vincenzo Montella a much-needed victory.

Missed #LionelMessi penalty costs @FCBarcelona in #CopadelRey loss to @RCDEspanyolhttps://t.co/uXmGJVoNIs pic.twitter.com/NxCnX4jybV

— HT Sports (@HTSportsNews) January 18, 2018

Valencia also staged a late comeback to beat last year's runners-up Deportivo Alaves 2-1 at home. The visiting side went ahead through Ruben Sobrino in the 66th minute but Portugal international Goncalo Guedes levelled for Valencia in the 73rd. Alaves defender Adrian Dieguez was dismissed in the 77th for picking up two bookings in the space of nine minutes, and Valencia striker Rodrigo Moreno took full advantage by shooting off the near post eight minutes from time. Real visit Leganes in the other quarter-final first leg Thursday.

Really is bizarre just how bad at penalties Lionel Messi is. He's now missed 21 penalties for Barcelona, almost 25% of the spot kicks he's taken. pic.twitter.com/LHBnyxWPTE

— Coral (@Coral) January 17, 2018

RESULTSEspanyol 1 (Melendo 88) Barcelona 0Atletico 1 (Costa 73) Sevilla 2 (Moya 80-og, Correa 88)Valencia 2 (Guedes 73, Rodrigo 82) Alaves 1 (Sobrino 66)  THURSDAY'S MATCHReal Madrid v Leganes