Defeat will wake us up - Rijkaard

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard believes his side's 2-1 Primera Liga defeat to Valencia will serve as a wake-up call for Wednesday's Champions League showdown with Liverpool.

The 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.

"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 have displayed sporadic form this season and Sunday's result was no different with Ronaldinho's injury-time strike - his third in two games - proving nothing more that a consolation for the reigning European and Spanish champions.

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.

Eto'o, who made headlines last week for criticising Rijkaard and team-mate Ronaldinho following comments the duo had made about the Cameroon international, has only recently returned to action following a serious knee injury.

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.