MADRID: Lionel Messi had a penalty saved after scoring from the spot as Barcelona struggled to end a run of poor results before they turn to the Champions League knockout rounds.

Messi’s first penalty opportunity proved good enough in an uninspiring 1-0 victory over Valladolid at Camp Nou in La Liga on Saturday. But Barca’s all-time leading scorer had a second spot kick stopped by goalie Jordi Masip.

Barca, who had drawn three games in a row across all competitions, visit Olympique Lyonnais on Tuesday in the opening leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.

Messi and his team-mates missed chances to put away Valladolid, and when they did arrive Masip was up to the challenge.

Messi beat Masip with a perfectly executed spot kick two minutes before halftime. But Masip, a former Barca backup, smothered his second strike that Messi sent to the same left side of the goalie.

Masip said he didn’t learn any tricks to stopping Messi when they used to practice together.

“I don’t know, I [never saved] many of his penalties,” Masip said. “He took the first one very well, but I was able to stop the second one. It is bittersweet. We had the chance to take a draw.”

Barca increased their league lead to seven points over Atletico Madrid.

Antoine Griezmann surpassed Fernando Torres with his 130th goal for Atletico who won 1-0 at Rayo Vallecano to break a run of consecutive losses before they host Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League.

The French forward surpassed Torres — now playing for Sagan Tosu in Japan — for fifth all-time on the Atletico goal-scoring charts as he struck for the tenth time in his last 11 outings, forcing home from six yards on 74 minutes after Alvaro Morata laid off a high, looping ball inside the area.

Levante won at Celta Vigo 4-1 and piled pressure on coach Miguel Cardoso. Celta have lost seven of their last eight games to leave them one point above the relegation zone.

Real Sociedad eased past Leganes 3-0 at home.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2019