Barcelona put one foot in the final of the Champions League this evening courtesy of a Lionel Messi-inspired 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich.
An enthralling encounter somehow remained goalless until the 77th minute, when Messi sparked into life to drive a powerful low effort past Manuel Neuer at the near post.
The Argentine then doubled his personal tally with a sensational second within three minutes, beating his man in the area before chipping the ball over Neuer.
Bayern pushed for a late away goal to increase their chances in next week's return leg, but Neymar caught them on the break in the final minute of added time to make it 3-0.
Find out how all of the action unfolded in a memorable first-leg clash at the Camp Nou courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen! It doesn't get much bigger or better than this when it comes to European football! Arguably the world's two best teams face off in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final this evening as Barcelona host Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. It really is a mouth-watering tie with subplots galore to add to the allure as Guardiola returns to face a former club pining for revenge against his new employers. We have a bumper 90-minute build-up for you here on Sports Mole, so let's waste no time in getting started with a look at the hosts...
This will be an emotional occasion for Barcelona as they welcome back legendary former player and manager Pep Guardiola, but there will be no room for sentiment from either party tonight. Barca have not reached the final of the Champions League since Guardiola's departure, and considering the players they have had in that four-year spell since their 2011 triumph over Manchester United, that is a relatively long drought. They will be desperate to end it this season.
They are many people's favourites to do exactly that too, with Luis Enrique having crafted a formidable team that is solid at the back and electric at the other end of the field. Not too many people would argue against Barcelona being the best team in Europe right now and, with Juventus beating Real Madrid in the first leg of the other semi-final last night, the odds on the Catalans lifting the trophy will have lowered that little bit more.
The prospect of an El Clasico Champions League final really is an enticing one, but as semi-finals go, this one is about as good as it gets. This Barcelona side was largely crafted by Guardiola, who has taken his style over to Bayern and got the German champions playing in the same way. Both teams love to play possession football, indeed they have the highest average possession figures in this season's competition, and it should be a joy to watch over these two legs.
Barca go into this match in the better form, however, having won their last six matches in all competitions. Their unbeaten run, meanwhile, stretches back 16 games, no fewer than 15 of which have ended in victories for Enrique's side. They appear to be unstoppable at the moment and are playing as good a standard of football as ever, but the challenge for them now is to keep that level up until the end of the season.
The rewards, should they manage that, are huge. Barca are well on course to claim the treble this season, leading the way in La Liga by two points and already having reached the final of the Copa del Rey. Real Madrid are, as ever, hot on their heels in the title race, but Barcelona have the marginally easier run-in - even with an upcoming game against Atletico Madrid - and have momentum to boot.
The concern for Barca will be that, should they finish level on points with Madrid, Real would win the title due to their superior head-to-head record. With two points the gap, one draw for Barca in the closing stages of the seasons, coupled with a perfect run for Madrid, would hand the capital club the title. Unlike Bayern, then, Barcelona will most likely need to fight on all fronts until the very end of the campaign if they are to complete a clean sweep of the trophies, like they did under Guardiola.
It is only natural, particularly in the build-up to this match, that Enrique will be compared to Guardiola, but the current Barca boss actually comes out well compared to his former teammate. Enrique has won 45 of his 53 outings over his maiden season so far - a staggering win percentage of 85% - while Guardiola 'only' managed a 68% win rate in his debut season with Barca. It is hard to believe that Enrique's job actually came under question earlier in the season following rumours of a bust-up with Lionel Messi, but right now the signs for Barca's future - both immediate and long-term - are promising.
Enrique has found a good balance with his side, although perhaps that is a little easier for him with the likes of Suarez, Messi and Neymar up front. His side have the best defensive record in La Liga this season having conceded just 19 times, while no team in Europe's top five divisions have scored more than the Catalans. They have found the back of the net an incredible 105 times in the league alone this season, a tally that only Real Madrid can match.
No fewer than 14 of those goals have come in their last two outings, with Barcelona winning 6-0 and 8-0 in the immediate build-up to this game. Looking a little further back, they have scored 20 and conceded none in their last five matches in all competitions. Saturday's 8-0 drubbing of Cordoba, which condemned the La Liga minnows to relegation was the 13th time that they have scored five or more goals in a game this season.
Their record is just as impressive when looking solely at home form, with seven consecutive wins at the Camp Nou coming into this game. Real Madrid are the only visiting side to have even scored past Barca in their last six home matches, while in their 26 games over the entire season they have conceded just 13 times, scoring 87. Of those 26 matches, they have won 24, with the only exceptions being a couple of shock 1-0 league defeats to Celta and Malaga respectively.
They boast a 100% record at home in the Champions League this season and are unbeaten in their last 10 at the Camp Nou in this competition. Indeed, they have only been beaten once in their last 33 home European matches, winning 26 of those in the process. That solitary defeat will still rankle, however, and Barca finally have a chance to avenge it tonight. Bayern ran out comfortable 3-0 winners here at the same stage two years ago, capping off a stunning 7-0 aggregate win to progress to the final - Barca's heaviest ever European defeat.
Overall in the Champions League this season Barca have won nine of their 10 games, with the only exception coming on matchday two as PSG ran out 3-2 winners. They have since won their last eight, which is their best run in the competition since 2002-03, when they picked up nine victories in a row. They have scored an average of 2.5 goals per game in their ongoing winning streak, so will have the confidence of outscoring Bayern and whoever they may meet in the final, should they get there.
It could have been even more too, with Barca somehow only hitting three past Manchester City in a dominant aggregate victory in the last 16. Joe Hart saved a penalty in the first leg and went on to have the game of his life at the Camp Nou, but Barca still progressed fairly comfortably. They did find their shooting boots against PSG, going through 5-1 on aggregate, and it would take a monumental defensive effort from Bayern to keep them at bay tonight.
TEAM NEWS: The teams are in for both sides, and the headline is that Lewandowski starts for Bayern despite concerns over a fractured cheekbone and nose. He will wear a mask leading the line for the Bundesliga outfit, who make no fewer than seven changes to their starting XI from the weekend defeat to Leverkusen. Barca, meanwhile, make just one change to their weekend side as Ter Stegen again replaces Bravo for the Champions League, with the hosts' starting lineup the same as the team that ousted PSG in the last round. Full teams for both sides coming right up...
BARCELONA STARTING XI: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic; Suarez, Messi, Neymar
BARCELONA SUBS: Bravo, Xavi, Pedro, Rafinha, Bartra, Adriano, Vermaelen
BAYERN STARTING XI: Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Benatia, Bernat; Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Alonso, Thiago; Muller; Lewandowski
BAYERN SUBS: Reina, Dante, Martinez, Pizarro, Gaudino, Gotze, Weiser
"No real surprises in either lineup this evening. The Barcelona XI picks itself and it really is a stunning side on paper and indeed in reality. As for Bayern, the loss of Arjen Robben is a big one, while David Alaba's pace and defensive qualities will be missed. You have to say that Barca look stronger and Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are all in wonderful form at the moment."
Speaking of that holy trinity of Messi, Suarez and Neymar, it perhaps took the trio a little longer than expected to really hit it off, but they are absolutely flying now and there is a case to be made for them being the most potent attacking three in football history. Suarez has 10 goals in his last eight games and five in his last two, while Neymar has also weighed in with seven from his last seven. Add to that Messi's perpetual goalscoring - eight in his last eight - and you have a frontline capable of taking any defence in the world apart.
Messi remains the star of the show, but it is Neymar and Suarez who have done the business in the knockout rounds of this competition so far this season. Messi has not got a Champions League goal since the group stages and saw Cristiano Ronaldo edge ahead of him as the Champions League's all-time leading scorer last night, so he will be desperate to add to his 52 goals already this season. Guardiola described the Argentine maestro as "unstoppable" in the build-up to this game, and his performance is likely to have a major impact on which way this tie goes.
Elsewhere in the Barca side, Enrique has kept faith with what now appears to be his preferred starting XI. Mathieu is his only injury concern, with Vermaelen potentially making his long-awaited debut tonight having been included on the bench. In midfield, Busquets and Iniesta have been here and done it all before, while Rakitic was on the scoresheet in the second leg against Manchester City.
Defensively, the only change comes between the sticks, with Ter Stegen continuing his role as Champions League goalkeeper. Alves, whose future at the Camp Nou is still very much up in the air, stays at right-back, while Mascherano partners the in-form Pique in the middle. It is a defence that has not stolen many headlines this season due to the form of those in front of them, but they have been very solid to help Barca towards a potential treble.
Bayern, meanwhile, opt to risk Lewandowski as expected, with the 23-goal striker having suffered a fractured cheekbone and nose during the recent DFB-Pokal semi-final clash against Borussia Dortmund. His inclusion is a major boost for Bayern, who are missing a number of key players for tonight's game already. Robben, Ribery, Badstuber and Alaba are among those sidelined for the visitors.
Just behind him lies Thomas Muller, who himself will pose a potent goal threat to the Barcelona defence tonight. The World Cup winner is the highest scoring German in Champions League history with 27 to his name, and has established himself as a big-game player down the years. He was one of the main antagonists of Bayern's demolition of Barca a couple of years ago, so the hosts will not need reminding just how dangerous he can be.
While much of the pre-match focus has been on Guardiola, there is also a return to the Camp Nou for Thiago tonight as he plays in midfield alongside former Real Madrid man Xabi Alonso. Philipp Lahm and Bastian Schweinsteiger are two of only four players to keep their place from the weekend side, and Guardiola will no doubt be looking to that strong midfield as the key to toppling his former club tonight. The battle for possession in the middle of the park will be fascinating.
Barcelona may boast an obscenely talented attacking lineup, but Bayern have a man widely regarded to be the best keeper in the world between the sticks again tonight. While Barca like to chop and change their keepers, there is no doubt over Bayern's number one as Manuel Neuer aims to keep Messi and co at bay. He managed to stop Messi from scoring in the World Cup final last summer and now will be looking to do it again tonight.
Neuer is a big reason behind why Bayern have such a formidable defensive record this season. No team in Europe's top five divisions can match their tally of just 15 goals conceded in the Bundesliga this season - less than one every two matches. That is just another intriguing subplot as Europe's best attack goes up against Europe's best defence, although Bayern should by no means by branded as a defensive side. Their record at the back is as much to do with keeping the ball at the other end of the field than it is stopping the opponent, and they are unlikely to change their style tonight.
Indeed, Bayern have scored no fewer than 14 goals in the Champions League knockout rounds so far, although it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing to this stage of the competition. They are yet to win any of their first legs in this season's competition, being held to a goalless draw by Shakhtar before losing 3-1 to Porto in the shock of the quarter-finals. They have redeemed themselves in the second legs, though, winning 7-0 and 6-1 to eventually progress emphatically.
By their own high standards, however, they approach this game in poor form. Including their defeat on penalties to Dortmund in the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal, Bayern have lost two games in a row for the first time since May 2012, when they were beaten in the final of both the cup and the Champions League in successive games. They have not lost three on the spin since February-March 2011, but will need to improve on their recent displays if they are to avoid that fate this evening.
Guardiola's side have lost three of their last six matches in all competitions and only won half of their last 10 inside the 90 minutes - a poor record for a club of their stature. In all, they have won 37 of their 48 matches this season, a record which the vast majority of clubs would give almost anything for, but by Bayern's recent standards it is not quite as good as they would have been expecting.
Even so, they have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title this season and, following the defeat on penalties in the last four of the cup that ended their hopes of a treble, can now afford to turn their full attention to this competition. There is no doubt that they can still be a match for any team in the world when on form, but whether they can recover from this recent iffy patch enough to beat a Barcelona side that are absolutely flying remains to be seen.
If anyone can stop Barcelona, though, you'd imagine that it will be Pep Guardiola. The Bayern boss knows the surroundings of the Camp Nou just about as well as anyone having spent 11 hugely successful years there as a player before guiding them through a golden era as manager. He won six league titles and the Champions League during his playing days, but even that success paled compared to what he achieved in charge.
Guardiola won no fewer than 14 trophies during a four-year spell at the Camp Nou, guiding the club to its most successful era ever. Those 14 trophies including two Champions League titles, with his side between 2009-11 regarded by many as one of the greatest in the history of football. Many of those players remain at the club, and no doubt Guardiola will be hoping to use any inside knowledge he has to Bayern's benefit tonight.
No matter how well he knows the club and the players, however, the Camp Nou is a tough place to come for any side, particularly one that has lost two of their last three away games in all competitions. Bayern have won only one of their last four inside the 90 minutes too, while their overall record on the road this season stands at 15 victories from 24 games. Again, it is a fine record in comparison to the majority of other clubs in world football, but Bayern's standards are a little higher than that.
Their away record in the Champions League is even more concerning, with no wins from their last three. They have been beaten by Manchester City and Porto in that time, in addition to the draw at Shakhtar Donetsk. It should be noted that they have also thrashed Roma 7-1 away from home in this season's competition, but just two wins from their last seven Champions League games on the road, stretching back to last season, is not really good enough for a club like Bayern.
Indeed, home and away they have only won three of their last six Champions League matches having won all of their first four. They certainly don't carry the same aura that surrounded them on their way to the trophy in 2013, but at the same time it would be very dangerous to write them off. They still have a number of world-class players at their disposal and, even with the absences of Robben and Ribery, are more than capable of scoring the goals needed to fire them all the way to Champions League glory.
Bayern are making a fourth consecutive appearance in the semi-finals of this competition, which is a new club record. Indeed, only two teams in the history of the Champions League have made it to the last four more times in a row, with Barca reaching six on the bounce between 2008 and 2013, while Madrid are currently on a run of five in a row.
Bayern have had mixed fortunes in the semi-finals over the past two seasons, however. Two years ago they thrashed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate, a result that will no doubt inspire many of the home contingent this evening, but last year they came up against a rampant Real Madrid on their way to La Decima. The first leg in Spain ended just 1-0 to the hosts, but braces from Ramos and Ronaldo handed Madrid a 4-0 victory in the return leg to seal a 5-0 aggregate win.
Bayern's record against Barcelona is a very strong one having only been beaten once - ironically when Pep Guardiola was in charge at the Camp Nou. That was an emphatic 4-0 victory in the 2008-09 quarter-finals, but aside from that Bayern lead the head-to-head record 5-1. They have won on three of their last four visits to the Camp Nou, but rarely would they have come up against a Barcelona team in such imposing form.
The most famous meeting was, of course, Bayern's 7-0 aggregate win two years ago, but the Bavarians have beaten Barca in another European semi-final before too. These two sides met in the last four of the UEFA Cup back in 1995-96, with Bayern emerging 4-3 winners on their way to lifting the trophy. That aggregate success including a 2-1 win for Bayern here at the Camp Nou.
PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes from kickoff at the Camp Nou, which means that it is time for a prediction! Whatever happens, we should be in for an entertaining tie between these two. Guardiola will know the home players well, but Barca are in irresistible form right now while Bayern are floundering a little. I can see the hosts picking up a relatively comfortable victory to take back to Munich, so I'm going for a 3-1 Barcelona victory. And it just so happens, my colleague Matt Law agrees...
"This is Bayern Munich and they deserve such respect, but for me, their defence is a mismatch with Barcelona's front three. The hosts are in such wonderful form – scoring goals for fun and keeping clean sheets. I think Bayern will score at some point, but I can see Barcelona running out 3-1 winners. Spoiler – I also think they will go through next week with a 1-1 draw in Germany."
These two sides have won nine Champions League titles between them over the years, with Bayern boasting five to Barca's four. Barca have reached the semis for the seventh time in the last eight seasons and are looking for their eighth Champions League final this term, while Bayern are bidding for an 11th appearance in the showpiece. They have faced Spanish opposition seven times in the semi-finals of European competition and have emerged victorious on five occasions.
Bayern's overall record away to Spanish sides is not great, however. They have won just six and lost 11 of their 22 trips to Spain, while Barcelona have 19 wins from 27 home games against German opposition. Over two-legged ties, Barca have won 13 of 18 against teams from Germany, while Bayern have won nine and lost seven against Spanish sides.
The players are out, the Champions League music blares around a packed Camp Nou and we're just about ready to go here. What a treat we have ahead of us!
KICKOFF: Here we go then! Bayern get us underway in Catalonia as they look to stop the juggernaut that is Barcelona.
Quick start from Barcelona as they look to get on the front foot early, chasing everything down with a good intensity. Bayern don't look to be altering their own style of play, which should make for an entertaining encounter.
An early penalty shout for Bayern as the busy Suarez chases the ball down and gets the wrong side of Boateng before tumbling to the floor. Boateng did have an arm on Suarez and it was a clumsy one from the defender, but the referee is right not to point to the spot.
It is Barcelona who have started the brighter here, but both sides are attempted to press the opposition high up the field. This is already looking like it may be the spectacle we were hoping for.
SAVE! The first save of the match comes from Neuer as a ball over the top reaches Messi, who looks to be in on goal for a moment. He gives the ball to Suarez, who cuts back before going for goal, but it is a simple stop for the German keeper.
This is end-to-end stuff at the moment. Bernat picks the ball up on the left and carries it a long way forward, attacking the Barcelona defence before going down in search of a free kick. The referee waves it away, however, and it is now Barca's turn to attack.
Bayern are playing some very risky, but exciting tactics here. They are going man-for-man on Barcelona, which is incredibly brave (or is it stupid?) against the likes of Messi, Suarez and Neymar.
CHANCE! Oh my word, what a huge chance for Barcelona to break the deadlock! Suarez is released clean through on goal and has an age to choose what to do with only Neuer to beat, but the German keeper shows exactly why he is the best in the world. He spreads himself brilliantly and makes an incredible stop to deny the Uruguayan.
Barcelona have been threatening to release one of their forward players into that kind of space throughout this game so far. These are almost suicidal tactics from Bayern.
CHANCE! Another huge chance for Barcelona, and this time Suarez is the creator. He skips past two challenges inside the area, staying on his feet when he could have gone down, before playing a low ball into the middle. Neymar slides in to turn it home, but Rafinha does just about enough to deflect it behind for a corner.
The match has just settled down a little in the last couple of minutes, with Guardiola making a slight change to his tactics to prevent Barcelona getting the sort of space that saw them create two great chances in that frantic opening period.
CHANCE! Big chance for Lewandowski this time as Muller shows great strength to shrug off Alba before playing a dangerous low ball right across the face of goal. Lewandowski throws himself at the ball but just can't get enough on it to turn it goalwards from a glorious position.
"Are Bayern mad? A high-line against Barcelona is suicide. That said, they are holding on as it stands. Suarez and Neymar both should have scored. Incredible game to watch and it should only get better. Lewandowski should score there while we are at it."
SHOT! Magic from Messi as he somehow skips past a few challenges on the edge of the box before curling an effort towards the far post. In the end, it is too far ahead of Neymar to be a cross and lands a few yards wide of the target, but it was sublime play to create the chance.
Muller wins a free kick having drawn a foul from Mascherano with a superb touch round the corner, but Alonso's delivery is lifted into space and goes behind for a goal kick. Bayern tried one off the training ground there but it didn't work.
Relatively scrappy period of the game here, which you feel suits Bayern a little more than it does Barca. The hosts have been the better side so far and should be ahead, but Bayern have at least settled down since reverting to four at the back.
CHANCE! For all Barca's beautiful football, it is almost a corner that undoes Bayer here. Suarez peels away from his man to get his head to the delivery, but he gets too much on his effort and flicks it over the bar.
What an opening half an hour to this match it has been. Barca have enjoyed more of the ball and have created the better chances, but Bayern do look dangerous when they come forward, with Muller in particular causing the hosts a few problems so far.
SHOT! Thiago looks to create the opener as he cuts inside from the left flank, earning a yard of space on the edge of the box. In the end, his effort is neither a cross or a shot as it curls above his teammates and a few yards wide of the post.
Suarez has gone down a number of times already in this match, but more often than not the referee has simply told him to get back to his feet. The Italian official is refusing to get fooled by any dramatics tonight, which is good to see.
As a neutral, I'm sure I wasn't alone in hoping that Guardiola would persist with his man-for-man tactics throughout this match. However, his side look a lot more balanced with four at the back and Barcelona are finding it much more difficult to find space now.
YELLOW CARD! The first card of the match goes to Alonso, despite Lahm being the man who made the challenge on Messi that the free kick was awarded for. Either that is mistaken identity from the official or Alonso said something out of turn.
SAVE! From the resulting free kick Messi curls a good effort over the wall and towards the corner, but Neuer makes it look easy as he walks across and catches the ball. Not many keepers can do that to a Messi free kick!
Brilliant from Suarez as he goes hounding down the opposition after Messi's pass had gone astray. He nips in before the defender to win a free kick in a dangerous crossing position...
...but Messi's delivery is cleared by the first man.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Barcelona again, but once more Neuer comes to the rescue! It is superb play all round as Iniesta lifts the ball over the top for Alves, who turns it goalwards with only the keeper to beat. As we have seen already tonight, though, this is no ordinary keeper and Neuer makes another big save.
Just under five minutes to go of an enthralling first half, then, and somehow we're still goalless. Bayern have Neuer to thank for that, and the German's two saves to deny Suarez and Alves could prove to be vital at the end of the 180 minutes of this tie.
Neymar has been relatively quiet compared to usual so far tonight, but the thing about this front three is that one can afford to have an off day and the other two are still good enough to make the difference. Suarez has been very busy tonight, while Messi has shown flashes of his brilliance too.
Really good chance for Bayern to break as Alonso fires a fine reverse ball forward with Alves out of position chasing the midfielder. The visitors have a three-on-three situation, but Lewandowski doesn't put enough on his pass and Pique can cut it out.
HALF TIME: Barcelona 0-0 Bayern Munich
Well, that first half flew by! We may still be goalless at the break in Barcelona, but there has been no shortage of entertainment between these two titans of European football. Both have created chances, and we are perfectly poised for another 45 minutes of enthralling action at the Camp Nou.
The half started at a frantic pace, with Bayern playing a high line and marking Barca's dangerous attackers man for man. It was a very dangerous and risky ploy from Guardiola on his old stomping ground, and he is fortunate that his side weren't punished. The Bayern boss soon switched to four at the back, which made his side look a lot more stable, and the match settle down a little from that point on.
The best chance of the half fell the way of Suarez after just 12 minutes as Barcelona finally found the sort of space that they had been threatening to throughout the opening stages. The ball was lifted forward for the Uruguayan, who raced through on goal with only the keeper to beat. Neuer spread himself brilliantly to make a huge save, however, keeping the scores level.
Neymar also had a chance during the breathless start to the game, with Suarez this time the creator as he skipped past a couple of challenges in the box before cutting the ball back in towards the Brazilian. Rafinha did just about enough to prevent Neymar from turning it home, however, as Bayern once again escaped with their suicidal tactics.
"What a stunning first 45 minutes at the Camp Nou. It just passed without a moment's thought. Barcelona, in truth, should be ahead, but Bayern have had a couple of super chances. Would the visitors take 0-0? Certainly. I would be surprised, however, if there were not goals in the second period."
Barca will be wondering how they are not ahead at the break following a scintillating first-half display both on and off the ball. Suarez has also had a good sight of goal from a corner, while Alves was denied by another top save from Neuer towards the end of the half. Iniesta lifted a peach of a pass over the top for the right-back, whose first time effort was kept out by the leg of the Bayern keeper.
The visitors have Neuer to thank for still being in this match, but they could have grabbed a crucial away goal themselves in that opening 45 minutes. They spurned a glorious chance in the 18th minute when Muller shrugged off the challenge of Alba on the right before playing a low cross into the box, but Lewandowski couldn't get enough on it when sliding in. That is as good as it has got for the visitors so far, however, with Barca on top for the majority of that first half.
KICKOFF: Barcelona get us back underway for the second half of this semi-final first leg. More of the same, please, perhaps with a couple of goals thrown in!
YELLOW CARD! Alves goes into the book for dragging Lewandowski down right on the edge of the box. Lewandowski could have got the shot away but chose to take the free kick instead following a defensive error to hand him the opening.
It is Xabi Alonso who lines up the resulting free kick, but the former Real Madrid man tries to drive his effort in below the wall. The wall does its job, however, and Bayern only get a corner.
Ter Stegen comfortably takes that corner underneath his own crossbar before immediately launching a counter, with Alves leading the charge. He has players either side of him making good runs, but takes it a touch too far and is dispossessed, wasting a good attacking platform.
It has been quite an even start to this match, with both sides beginning it with the same quick tempo that was evident throughout the opening 45 minutes. Still no goals, though.
YELLOW CARD! Harsh one for Benatia as he picks up a yellow card for a foul on Iniesta, who had made a really good burst forward from midfield. The Barcelona man was losing the ball as he was going down, however, and Benatia can feel hard done by there.
Bayern can feel encouraged by the opening 10 minutes or so of this second half. They are pressing well off the ball and seeing more of it in possession themselves, knocking it about confidently inside the Barca half with increased regularity.
Close one for Muller as he looks to be clean through on goal, only to be denied by the offside flag. It was a matter of a yard or so, but it was the correct decision by the official.
YELLOW CARD! Bernat finds himself up against Messi as Barcelona threaten to counter, and the Bayern man has no option but to haul him down to prevent the break. He gets a caution for his troubles.
SAVE! Vintage Messi here as he cuts inside from the right and feeds a pass into Neymar before continuing his run for the return pass. Neymar duly obliges, dropping the ball back to the Argentine, whose powerful effort from 20 yards is straight at Neuer.
Dazzling footwork from Neymar, who is beginning to have a bit more of a say on this game. He weaves his way in and out of a few challenges on the edge of the box before trying to slip a pass through to Messi, only for the ball to be cut out. Majestic from the Brazilian.
CHANCE! Magnificent from Barcelona as Messi combines with Alves down the right before sending a defence-splitting pass through to Neymar. The Brazilian looks to be through on goal, but the ultimate sweeper keeper Neuer is there to mop up. Brilliant goalkeeping.
The quality on show in this match has just been staggering so far, in almost every aspect. It is a joy to watch, and although we're still goalless at the Camp Nou, it wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to suggest that there haven't been many games of a higher skill level than this one.
CHANCE! Neymar has a good chance to cap off my point perfectly, but he blazes one over the crossbar when he should have done better. Rakitic slipped the ball to the winger inside the box, but he opted against taking his man on and could only fire his effort off target.
YELLOW CARD! Pique is the latest name in the book as he dives in on both Lewandowski and Muller, taking both out in one. He had to do it to stop a promising attack, but he can have no complaints at receiving a yellow card.
"Bayern are keeping the ball very well here, but they still haven't had a single shot on target. Wouldn't it be just like the game if Bayern managed to nick a 1-0? Barcelona's front three have found it more difficult in this second period, but they are always a threat. Still fancy a goal in this one."
YELLOW CARD! Neymar is furious with the referee here as he is denied a free kick on the counter before taking his frustration out on Muller. The tackle itself is probably worthy of a card, but his reaction seals the deal as he squares up to the Italian official.
I'm with Matt in terms of fancying a goal in this final 20 minutes. Chances have been rarer in this second half, but both sides still carry such a threat going forward. If it does end goalless, it would surely be one of the best 0-0 draws in recent memory.
Bayern have just edged the possession 51%-49% in this one, which goes to show how much they have improved in this second half. They were under the cosh for spells in the opening 45 minutes but have more than held their own since the break.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Bayern Munich (Lionel Messi)
First blood to Barcelona, and who else but Lionel Messi gets the goal?! Bernat gives the ball away and Messi punishes him, drilling a low effort past Neuer at the near post. The pace of the ball beat the keeper, and finally the deadlock has been broken!
BAYERN SUB: Guardiola reacts immediately to that goal, bringing on Mario Gotze - who scored the goal that won the World Cup off the bench, remember - in place of Muller.
GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 Bayern Munich (Lionel Messi)
The man is just not human. What a stunning goal this is from Messi, who has single-handedly taken this match, and perhaps the tie beyond Bayern. He collects the ball around 25 yards from goal on the right side of the field before leaving Boateng on his backside inside the area. He still has the sizeable figure of Neuer standing between him and the goal, but he dinks a perfect finish over the keeper. Just incredible from Messi.
BARCELONA SUB: The hosts make a change in the immediate aftermath of that second goal, with Xavi replacing Rakitic.
CHANCE! Barcelona are running riot now and Bayern are hanging on to stay in the tie. Neymar slides a pass through to Suarez, who can only fire the ball over the crossbar from just outside the box. Messi, meanwhile, has moved back above Ronaldo in the all-time Champions League scoring list, and what a way to do it.
Do Bayern throw caution to the wind in these closing stages? They have played positive football throughout, but with a two-goal deficit and with Barcelona in this form, they may need an away goal in the closing stages here. A third goal, however, would surely kill the tie off.
BARCELONA SUB: Rafinha comes on to play against his brother for the closing stages, with Iniesta the man to make way.
BARCELONA SUB: A third and final change for the hosts comes as Enrique continues to wind the clock down, introducing Marc Bartra in place of Mascherano.
There will be a minimum of four minutes added time at the end of this match. I don't want it to finish!
The atmosphere inside the stadium is jubilant right now, but the home fans want the final whistle. A late goal for Bayern would drastically alter the complexion of the tie.
GOAL! Barcelona 3-0 Bayern Munich (Neymar)
It is Barcelona who get the game's third goal, and what an important one it could prove to be in the tie! All of the front three are involved as Suarez is on the halfway line, but Messi plays on and feeds the ball through to Neymar. The Brazilian is in acres of space and can pick his spot, rolling the ball beyond Neuer.
FULL TIME: Barcelona 3-0 Bayern Munich
That was just stunning. Barcelona are the team celebrating at the end having picked up a commanding 3-0 lead after the first leg of their semi-final clash with Bayern Munich, but Bayern were holding their own until the final 15 minutes and played their part in a truly magnificent game of football. Bayern have it all to do in the return leg next week now, with the Bundesliga champions needing to score three times without reply just to force extra time at the Allianz Arena.
Barcelona spurned a number of chances in the opening 15 minutes, but it was the last 15 that would prove decisive. Messi was the difference with two goals in the space of three minutes, the second of which rivals his goal against Real Madrid in the semi-finals a few years ago. He first beat Neuer at his near post from outside the box before coming up with a magical moment as he left Boateng for dead before dinking the ball over the Bayern keeper. The visitors went in search of a late away goal, but were caught on the break in the final minute of stoppage time as Neymar notched a crucial third goal.
That is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for what was a pulsating clash between two of the world's best teams as Messi inspires Barcelona to a 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction, analysis and player ratings. The second leg takes place next Tuesday, and I'm sure, like me, you're already counting down the hours! Until then!
