VALENCIA - Lionel Messi had a penalty saved as Barcelona drew 1-1 at Valencia in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at the Mestalla last night.
The Argentinian wasted the chance to put the visitors in front after Carlos Puyol had cancelled out Jonas' opener for the hosts.
The visitors rode their luck in the first half, though, and might have had goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto sent off inside 20 minutes when a clear handball outside the area went unspotted by the officials.
Barca went into the game on the back of a goalless draw with Villarreal which dropped them seven points behind Real Madrid in the race for the Primera Division title.
Messi might have won it for them from the spot in the 56th minute, but could not beat keeper Diego Alves.
His weak penalty was a good height for Alves and not close enough to the corner, the keeper diving to his left to push the shot away. (PA)