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Espanyol midfielder Oscar Melendo was elated after scoring his first professional goal against Barcelona on Wednesday. Melendo, 20, came on as a substitute and struck two minutes from time to give Espanyol a 1-0 advantage in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal first leg -- Barca's first defeat since Aug. 16. "It's been a special night," Melendo told Onda Cero radio. "This is my first goal with Espanyol and as a professional. "To score it against our city rivals is unforgettable. I've kept the jersey -- I didn't want to exchange it with anyone." Barcelona-born Melendo, who made his senior debut for the Periquitos in August 2016, signed a new deal including a €40m release clause a year ago. He has yet to start in La Liga but has come off the bench seven times. "I've been at Espanyol since the age of six," he said. "Things are going well and I'm just working hard to fight for more playing time. "This wasn't the first time I played against Barcelona as last season [in a 4-1 defeat], I played 20 minutes at the Camp Nou against Lionel Messi ... It's always a big motivation to play against them."
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