Ronald Araujo produced a brilliant performance as Brcelona beat Madrid 1-0 in the Copa

Real Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueño felt his side were "excessively penalised" in the 0-1 defeat against Barcelona on Thursday in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg, but lavished praise on Ronald Araujo.

Eder Militao's own goal was the difference between the two sides at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"The team did really well pressing to win the ball back. It was very evenly matched and the detail of the goal penalised us too much", Butragueño analysed.

"They took advantage of that play, with a point of misfortune on our part as Courtois saved the one-on-one, but this is football and it can happen.

"It was a very even game, we knew it was going to be like that. The team did really well in many aspects of the game, like winning the ball back.

"The second half was ours and they defended very well. It was hard for us to create chances, but the team tried and we couldn't score that equaliser which, at the Bernabéu, would have put us in a more favourable position."

Butragueño also explained why Real Madrid gave such different performances at Anfield (beating Liverpool 2-5) and against Barcelona.

"They are two different games. The game there started really bad and the 2-1 scoreline helped us a lot. In the second half, Liverpool pressed high up the pitch, because of the way they play, and we had a lot of space," he said.

"Today was a different game, with Barcelona grouping a lot of people together at the back, with very effective support... the game had nothing to do with the one at Anfield."

Butragueño praised Brazilian Vinicius Junior, but also his marker, BArça defender Araujo.

"I have been a striker," he added. "And Vini has something extraordinary which is consistency and the spirit of always going forward. He was against an extraordinary defender today, but even so he has always wanted the ball.

"Sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn't, but his attitude is extraordinary. Today we weren't able to create chances or score, but we can't reproach Vinicius for anything because that attitude of asking for the ball and going forward is constant."