Neymar's look gave him away, says Asenjo

EXCLUSIVE: The goalkeeper was delighted with his penalty save and has hope that the away goal can help inspire a comeback at El Madrigal

Villarreal goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo has claimed that he knew in advance where Neymar was going to place his penalty after denying the Brazil international from the spot in his side's 3-1 defeat to Barcelona in Wednesday's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

Manu Trigueros' goal shortly after half-time has handed Marcelino's men a potential lifeline heading into the second leg, even though efforts from Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique gave the hosts a comfortable victory at Camp Nou.

Things could have been even worse for Villarreal, though, as Neymar got the chance to add a fourth goal after being allowed to take a penalty by Messi, only to see Asenjo save his attempt.

"I saw where Neymar was going to kick it right from the beginning," the Villarreal shot stopper told Goal.

"He has taken similar spot kicks before. In the end, it was his look that gave him away.

"I always study our opponents before a game and this was the result.

"Penalties are never easy. You are alone on the goal line and have to make a decision that's right sometime, but completely wrong another time."

Villarreal came close to causing a major upset at the start of February, when they were edged 3-2 by Luis Enrique's men in La Liga , and Asenjo accepted that the counterattack method they deployed on Wednesday had not been as effective, before stressing that the tie is not over just yet.

"In La Liga we did a lot of damage, but Jeremy Mathieu and Gerard Pique were in control at the back this time," he added to Canal Plus.

"Manu Trigueros' goal gives us life in the competition. In front of our own fans at El Madrigal, we'll see what happens.

"The result is complicated and a negative, but it also leaves us with the door ajar to spring a comeback.

"On Wednesday, it was a magnificent match and we had opportunities to get a better outcome than the 3-1 defeat. But no one's under any illusion it's out of our grasp.

"If we do things right at El Madrigal in the second leg then we can turn around the tie."

Villarreal host Barca in the return leg of the semi-final on Wednesday March 4, with the winner to face either Athletic Bilbao or Espanyol.