Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde insisted he had no regrets over his decision not to play Lionel Messi despite his side's 2-0 loss to Sevilla.
Messi was rested for the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-final on Wednesday and goals from Pablo Sarabia and Wissam Ben Yedder put Sevilla on top in the tie.
But Valverde said keeping the Argentine superstar on the sidelines was the right decision.
"I do not regret it. It is what I had to do," he told a news conference.
The LaLiga leaders have work to do in the second leg at Camp Nou on January 30.
Full time.
Next week Wednesday 30 January, 21.30 CET, we have the opportunity to come back.
#CopaBarçapic.twitter.com/D8ZdFWcclM— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 23, 2019
Asked if he would play a stronger team, Valverde said he was unsure, with Barca facing a trip to Girona on Sunday before the return clash.
"We have to wait. Today I made changes. I thought it was the best and when you change, you know that you risk," he said.
"And when you win you're right and when you lose you're not.
"There is an important game on Sunday that we want to win and we will think about the return."
'People will remember us because we got to No.1 in the world rankings and achieved great things - but our biggest regret is that we didn’t win anything': Ex-Everton star Kevin Mirallas opens up on 'honour' of being part of nation's golden generation
‘I’m sure we’d have finished in the top four or five if he hadn’t joined Chelsea in January. Him leaving damaged the team, but we couldn’t stand in his way’: Alan Curbishley reflects on failed Champions League dream after selling key player
