Barca forward Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick before Espanyol’s Oscar melendo scored the only goal of the game 2 minutes before full-time, awarding the hosts their first win at home against the visitors since 2009.
Coach Ernesto Valverde, talking to a post match press conference, said his side controlled the game but were unable to capitalise on
opportunities.
“We tried to do what we always do, dominate the game and make them play on our turf. They defended well and were clinical in that move, at the end of the day it’s a question of being clinical, now we have to bounce back,” said the tactician.
Valverde, however, remains confident that his team can turn
things around when they host
Espanyol at Camp Nou for the
second leg on January 26 saying
that “we await them at the Camp Nou.
