Barca meet setback ahead of Liverpool

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard believes his side's Primera Liga defeat to Valencia will serve as a wake-up call for Wednesday's Champions League showdown with Liverpool.

Barca's indifferent form this year continued as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at Valencia last night, with Ronaldinho's injury-time strike proving nothing more that a consolation for the reigning European and Spanish champions.

That result means Barca have now won just three of their eight Primera Liga matches in 2007, while it also allowed Sevilla to join Rijkaard's league leaders on 43 points following their win over Atletico Madrid.

Losing to one of their title rivals was a blow to Barca, but Rijkaard believes the defeat will help focus his team for this week's Champions League first knockout round opening leg with Liverpool at the Nou Camp.

"It is good for the game on Wednesday. It is a reminder that we must not relax against Liverpool," Rijkaard said. "If you have not won the last game, you must win the next."

Barca went into the match against fourth-placed Valencia without striker Samuel Eto'o, who asked to be omitted from the squad to work on his fitness.

Rijkaard admits one of his team's failings against Valencia was their inability to find the back of the net.

"Our problem has not been the lack of reaction. We have wanted to play our football, but we have not scored," he said. "It has been a game of two teams who have wanted to win in their style and Valencia have done it."

Hosts Valencia took control of the game with two goals in three minutes just after half-time through Miguel Angel Angulo and David Silva.

Both teams were reduced to 10 men soon after that when Barca playmaker Deco was sent-off along with David Albelda, and the visitors could only manage to pull a goal back through Ronaldinho late on.

Deco said: "We have controlled the game, but we have lacked depth. They have scored in the first play they have had, and after that things became difficult for us."

The playmaker's dismissal came when he clattered into Albelda after the Valencia midfielder had scythed down Barca substitute Lionel Messi.

"I have to see the play on television to be able to see everything that happened," said Deco.

"If the club finds it necessary to appeal against the red card and believe they have a case, they will have to do it."