Lionel Messi backs Ernesto Valverde but laments 'schoolboy mistakes' vs Atletico after Barcelona concede 2 late goals in Spanish Cup match

Lionel Messi and his teammates lost to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal on Thursday, They dominated the game at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium until the last ten minutes wherein they conceded two sloppy goals, with Atletico Madrid winning 3 - 2. Barcelona were leading 2-1 as of the 81st minute. Messi and Griezmann had scored for Barcelona. Messi scored in the 51st minute and Griezmann in the 61st. Messi's second goal was disallowed for an adjudged handball. Gerard Pique' goal for Barcelona was disallowed in the 73rd minute. Barcelona's errors in the final ten began with Barcelona goalkeeper Neto Mura conceding a clumsy penalty. He brought down Vitolo, for which Atletico was awarded a penalty. Alvaro Morata leveled from the penalty spot. Angel Correa scored Atletico's third goal five minutes later as a result of poor defending from Barcelona. Neto was unable to stop the incoming shot as the ball looped off his gloves and over the line.

After the defeat, Messi told reporters "Yes, there's complete confidence in the coach. It's normal that a lot gets said when there's a loss, when you don't meet your objectives or you don't play like we like to play.

"We can't commit schoolboy mistakes as we did. It's been a while since we felt so good, though. We controlled the game for 80 minutes, taking the match [to Atletico], and then it gets away from us with a couple of untimely mistakes. They were dead before then.

"Now we're thinking about the second half of the season. We have a lot to improve. We're top of the league, but we're not playing well and we need to get back on our game. We took a step forward today in that sense, looking beyond the result."

The format for this year's Spanish Super Cup pitches the two top clubs from La Liga against the two Copa del Rey finalists from last season, as they compete in a four-team set-up in Saudi Arabia. Atletico will take on Real Madrid in the final of the Super Cup on Sunday, January 12, 2019. Barcelona return to action on January 19, when they host Granada in La Liga.

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