Messi misses penalty as Espanyol end Barcelona's winning streak

Bengaluru, January 18: Espanyol's Oscar Melendo netted a late winner in 88th minute to end Barcelona's 29-game unbeatean run across all competitions as they took a 1-0 in the King's Cup quarterfinal first leg in a match which also saw Lionel Messi missing a penalty.

Barcelona will now be hoping to pull it back in the return leg which will be held at Camp Nou on January 25.

🔊 Valverde, Aleña, Sergio Busquets and @3gerardpique give their thoughts on derby defeat 🔴🔵 #CopaBarça https://t.co/luO8EPuZiO

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 18, 2018

Barca had not lost to Espanyol since 2009 and this was their first defeat to their local rivals in the Cup since 1970. The last game they had lost in any competition was in the Spanish Super Cup to Real Madrid on August 16.

And to make matters ever worse for the Catalans, Messi had his spot-kick turned away by former Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez earlier in the second half.

Real Madrid visit Leganes in the other quarter-final first leg on Thursday (January 18).

In the other matches, Sevilla battled back from a goal down to win 2-1 at Atletico Madrid and Valencia also staged a late comeback to beat last year's runners-up Deportivo Alaves 2-1 at home.

Diego Simeone's decision to rest number one goalkeeper Jan Oblak in favour of Miguel Angel Moya backfired for Atletico.

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.

At Valencia, the visitors went ahead through Ruben Sobrino in the 66th minute but Portugal international Goncalo Guedes levelled for the hosts 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.

(With Agency inputs)