Barcelona

Europe: UEFA Champions League (Round of 16)

Alexis Sanchez was the Barcelona scapegoat as they could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Malaga in the first-leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final after the Chilean missed a host of chances, but Tito Vilanova has insisted he must protect the 24-year-old from the public criticism coming his way. He told the club's website: "He is a young player with all the desire in the world. If he has missed chances it is because he has made the sprints to have them. We can accept him missing chances, but not him not trying and he tried. He is one of us and if we don't help him he will go into his shell and it will be even harder for him.