• Barcelona's Martin Braithwaite, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Cornella in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, January 21. AP
    Barcelona's Martin Braithwaite, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Cornella in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, January 21. AP
  • Barcelona's Ronald Araujo reacts after missing a chance at the Nou Municipal de Cornella. AP
    Barcelona's Ronald Araujo reacts after missing a chance at the Nou Municipal de Cornella. AP
  • Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan after saving a penalty taken by Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele. PA
    Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan after saving a penalty taken by Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele. PA
  • Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele sees his penalty saved by Ramon Juan.AP
    Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele sees his penalty saved by Ramon Juan.AP
  • Barcelona's Clement Lenglet battles for the ball with Albert Estelles of Cornella. EPA
    Barcelona's Clement Lenglet battles for the ball with Albert Estelles of Cornella. EPA
  • Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele, centre, after breaking the deadlock against Cornella. EPA
    Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele, centre, after breaking the deadlock against Cornella. EPA
  • Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann reacts after missing a chance. AP
    Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann reacts after missing a chance. AP
  • Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan after saving a penalty taken by Barcelona's Miralem Pjanic. PA
    Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan after saving a penalty taken by Barcelona's Miralem Pjanic. PA
  • Brac a manager Ronald Koeman. Getty
    Brac a manager Ronald Koeman. Getty
  • Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann on the attack against Cornella. AP
    Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann on the attack against Cornella. AP
  • Barcelona goalkeeper Neto makes a save. AP
    Barcelona goalkeeper Neto makes a save. AP
  • Barcelona's Ronald Araujo after picking up an inury. PA
    Barcelona's Ronald Araujo after picking up an inury. PA

Ronald Koeman takes aim at Barcelona players after two missed penalties in Copa del Rey win over Cornella


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Ronald Koeman criticised his Barcelona players for missing two penalties after they needed extra time to break down stubborn third-division side Cornella and reach the Copa del Rey last 16.

Goals from Ousmane Dembele and Martin Braithwaite sealed a 2-0 victory for Barca but only after Miralem Pjanic and Dembele had both failed to score from the spot in normal time.

Pjanic and Dembele join a list of five Barcelona players to have missed penalties this season, along with Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Braithwaite.

"I don't understand because normally there are enough players who can score penalties," said Barca manager Koeman. "Maybe they are scary, I don't know. Several players have failed and, above all, if you score one of the two penalties, you calm down.

"You cannot miss two penalties as Barca players. It's not serious."

Barca were looking for a reaction on the back of their shock loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, when Messi was sent off for the club for the first time.

With Messi suspended, a rotated line-up laboured to victory after a third consecutive extra-time in eight days.

Pjanic missed the first penalty in the 39th minute after Ronald Araujo went down under a high boot from Albert Estelles, with Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan diving low to his right.

Griezmann and Braithwaite both failed to finish early in the second half and then Griezmann blazed over on the volley after a clever free-kick from Pjanic.

Another penalty presented a golden opportunity in the 80th minute after another Estelles error, this time a handball. Dembele stepped up but the result was the same, his driven effort down the middle again kept out by Juan.

The 21-year-old became the first goalkeeper to save two Barca penalties in one game.

Cornella, who beat Atletico Madrid in the previous round, saw their resistance last only two minutes into extra time as the power of Dembele's shot from distance was too much for the keeper, who could only divert the ball in off the crossbar.

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Gallery: Bilbao beat Barca in Super Cup

  • Athletic Bilbao celebrate their 3-2 Super Cup win over Barcelona in January 2021. EPA
    Athletic Bilbao celebrate their 3-2 Super Cup win over Barcelona in January 2021. EPA
  • Barcelona's Lionel Messi walks off the pitch after being sent off against Athletic Bilbao at the Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla. Reuters
    Barcelona's Lionel Messi walks off the pitch after being sent off against Athletic Bilbao at the Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla. Reuters
  • Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann celebrates scoring his second goal. AFP
    Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann celebrates scoring his second goal. AFP
  • Inaki Williams celebrates after scoring Bilbao's third goal. AFP
    Inaki Williams celebrates after scoring Bilbao's third goal. AFP
  • Athletic Bilbao's Unai Nunez in action. Reuters
    Athletic Bilbao's Unai Nunez in action. Reuters
  • Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi prepares to take a free-kick. AFP
    Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi prepares to take a free-kick. AFP
  • Athletic Bilbao's Spanish forward Asier Villalibre plays trumpet as he celebrates with teammates after the match. AFP
    Athletic Bilbao's Spanish forward Asier Villalibre plays trumpet as he celebrates with teammates after the match. AFP
  • Athletic Bilbao players celebrate their victory. AFP
    Athletic Bilbao players celebrate their victory. AFP
  • Barcelona's Lionel Messi looks dejected after Athletic Bilbao's Asier Villalibre scores their second goal. Reuters
    Barcelona's Lionel Messi looks dejected after Athletic Bilbao's Asier Villalibre scores their second goal. Reuters
  • Barcelona's Lionel Messtakes a free kick. AFP
    Barcelona's Lionel Messtakes a free kick. AFP
  • Athletic Bilbao's Raul Garcia scores but the goal is disallowed following a referral to VAR. Reuters
    Athletic Bilbao's Raul Garcia scores but the goal is disallowed following a referral to VAR. Reuters
  • Athletic Bilbao striker Inaki Willians with the trophy. EPA
    Athletic Bilbao striker Inaki Willians with the trophy. EPA
  • Athletic Bilbao players celebrate a goal that was disallowed by VAR. AFP
    Athletic Bilbao players celebrate a goal that was disallowed by VAR. AFP
  • Athletic Bilbao celebrate their Super Cup win. EPA
    Athletic Bilbao celebrate their Super Cup win. EPA
  • Barcelona's French midfielder Antoine Griezmann shoots. AFP
    Barcelona's French midfielder Antoine Griezmann shoots. AFP
  • Bilbao's Unai Vencedor battles with Pedri Barcelona. Reuters
    Bilbao's Unai Vencedor battles with Pedri Barcelona. Reuters
  • Barcelona defender Sergino Dest under pressure from Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain. AFP
    Barcelona defender Sergino Dest under pressure from Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain. AFP
  • Barcelona defender Sergino Dest. AFP
    Barcelona defender Sergino Dest. AFP
  • Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets battles for possession with Bilbao's Raul Garcia. AFP
    Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets battles for possession with Bilbao's Raul Garcia. AFP
  • Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bilbao forward Iker Muniain. AFP
    Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Bilbao forward Iker Muniain. AFP

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Estelles completed his nightmare night by being sent-off before Braithwaite added a second on the counter-attack.

Despite the defeat, Juan could at least console himself with the praise of Barca's No 1, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

He produced other superb saves to deny Francisco Trincao, Braithwaite and Konrad de la Fuente but was finally beaten at either end of extra time.

Barca's Neto was playing on the night but first-choice keeper and Germany international Ter Stegen, who was sitting on the bench, showed his appreciation for the youngster's superb display by embracing him after the final whistle.

"He told me I was very good and I'm absolutely delighted," Ramon Juan told reporters.

The keeper said he had never saved two penalties before in his life, not even in a shootout, but had carefully prepared for the game with the club's goalkeeping coach.

"We spoke about who would take their penalties and how they would take them and then it came down to intuition," he added.

"I had seen two penalties Pjanic took for Juventus and I thought he would shoot to my right. Dembele's was about instinct."