Lionel Messi goal earns Barcelona Copa del Rey win

Lionel Messi reacted quickest to his own penalty miss to score his 29th goal of the season

Lionel Messi missed a late penalty but converted the rebound as Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in their Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg.

The Argentine's 83rd-minute spot-kick was saved by Jan Oblak, but the forward was quickest to react as Barca finally broke the deadlock.

The penalty was awarded after Sergio Busquets appeared to go down easily under a challenge from Gabi.

Earlier, Luis Suarez blazed wildly over from close range.

Barcelona dominated possession but failed to create clear openings, with Suarez wasting the first stand-out opportunity of the game.

With the goal at his mercy, the former Liverpool striker's rushed attempt was a world away from the clinical finishing that defined his time at Anfield.

Fernando Torres, who scored twice against Real Madrid in the previous round, was withdrawn at the break, having seen an attempt on goal blocked by the legs of Gerard Pique.

Atletico threatened when Antoine Griezmann headed over when well-placed in the penalty area after a Guilherme Siqueira cross, but again the final finishing touch was lacking.

A dull second half sprang to life when Busquets went down in the penalty area, with replays appearing to suggest any contact with Atletico captain Gabi was minimal.

From the resultant spot-kick, Messi's shot to Oblak's left was well saved, but the 27-year-old was quickly on hand to convert the rebound for his 29th goal of the season.

The two teams meet again at Atletico's Vicente Calderon Stadium on Wednesday, 28 January.

Fernando Torres could not replicate the goalscoring form he displayed in the Copa del Rey's previous round

Luis Suarez blazed wildly over from close range when one-one-one with Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak

Messi's goal was the only bright moment of a dull second half

• Line-ups
• Match Stats

Line-ups

Barcelona

Formation 4-3-3

1ter Stegen

22Alves da Silva3Piqué14Mascherano18Alba

4Rakitic5Busquets8Iniesta

10Messi9Suárez11Neymar

• 1ter Stegen
• 22Alves da Silva
• 3Piqué
• 14MascheranoBooked at 80mins
• 18Alba
• 4RakiticSubstituted forHernándezat 77'minutes
• 5Busquets
• 8IniestaSubstituted forBartraat 88'minutes
• 10Messi
• 9SuárezBooked at 78mins
• 11Neymar

Substitutes

• 6Hernández
• 7Pedro
• 12Rafinha
• 15Bartra
• 20Roberto Carnicer
• 21Correia
• 25Masip

Atl Madrid

Formation 4-2-3-1

13Oblak

20Torres Belén23Miranda2Godín3Siqueira

14Fernández Arenas4Suárez

10Turan7Griezmann6Koke

19Torres

• 13Oblak
• 20Torres BelénBooked at 45mins
• 23MirandaBooked at 82mins
• 2GodínBooked at 90mins
• 3Siqueira
• 14Fernández ArenasBooked at 84minsSubstituted forJiménezat 87'minutes
• 4Suárez
• 10Turan
• 7GriezmannSubstituted forGarcia Escuderoat 66'minutes
• 6Koke
• 19TorresSubstituted forMandzukicat 45'minutes

Substitutes

• 1Moyá Rumbo
• 8Garcia Escudero
• 9Mandzukic
• 11Jiménez
• 17Saúl
• 18Gámez
• 24Giménez de Vargas

Referee:

José Luis González González

Attendance:

62,225

Match Stats

Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamAtl Madrid

Possession

Home67%

Away33%

Shots

Home12

Away8

Shots on Target

Home4

Away1

Corners

Home6

Away5

Fouls

Home11

Away12