Espanyol 1-0 Barcelona: Melendo ends unbeaten run
The Espanyol youngster struck in the 88th minute to sink Valverde's side in the Copa quarters first leg
Espanyol stunned Barcelona with an 88th minute winner to win the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final 1-0, ending the Catalans' unbeaten streak at 29 games.
ESP
1 ________________ 0
FCB
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RCD Espanyol
Diego López; Marc Navarro, Naldo, Duarte, Aarón (Didac Vila, 57'); Víctor Sánchez (c), David López, Sergi Darder Baptistado, 46'), Javi Fuego (Melendo, 74'), Granero y Gerard Moreno
FC Barcelona
Cillessen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Vermaelen, Digne; Busquets, Aleñá (Luis Suárez, 58'), Denis Suárez (Rafinha, 78'), Paulinho (Rakitic, 53'); Aleix Vidal y Messi (c).
Goles
1-0 min. 88. Melendo. Jugada de Marc Navarro por la banda derecha y su centro es rematado por Melendo lejos del alcance de Cillessen.
Árbitro
Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea (col. vasco). Mostró tarjetas amarillas a Aaron (43') por derribar a Messi; a Aleña (55+1) por plancha a Víctor Sánchez. a Jordi Alba (55') por protestar desde el banquillo, a Gerard Moreno (61') por protestar el penalty; a Rakitic (82') por derribar a Gerard Moreno; a Vermaelen (84') por protestar; a Víctor Sánchez (86') por derribar a Rafinha; a Suárez (90') y David López (90') por enzarzarse en una discusión.
Incidencias
Estadi RCD Satadium. 23.323 espectadores
Barcelona struggled to create many chances all night and Lionel Messi saw a penalty saved brilliantly by Diego Lopez in a frustrating second half for the visitors.
Quique Sanchez Flores' side set up defensively and went out to deny their opponents first, and think about attacking later.
Messi fired a couple of free-kicks at goal but didn't come particularly close to beating Lopez, with Denis Suarez missing the best chance of the first half.
The second saw Valverde's side earn more chances, but Messi squandered the best one after Sergi Roberto was brought down in the area.
Then late on, Marc Navarro crossed from the right and Oscar Melendo fired home superbly to give Espanyol their first Catalan derby win since 2009.
Of course, the second leg at Camp Nou could see the 29-time winners and current holders Barcelona turn things around...
