Fluent Barcelona finish off Bayern in first half

Barcelona 4 Bayern Munich 0: AN ENTHRALLING first-half display put Barcelona within touching distance of the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons as Bayern Munich were brushed aside at the Camp Nou.

First-half goals from Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry plus two from Lionel Messi ripped through the resistance of Bayern, comprehensively ending the German club’s 100 per cent competitive record against Barça here.

Hans Jörg Butt made only his second start of the season in goal for Bayern in place of Michael Rensing.

Barça were into their stride from the first whistle and, even before Messi’s ninth-minute opener, a lovely interchange of passes between Daniel Alves, Xavi Hernández and Henry allowed the latter to round Butt. Martín Demichelis cleared off the line, but the respite was brief for a Bayern defence already deprived of Lucio and Daniel Van Buyten and with Philipp Lahm on the bench.

Within moments Andrés Iniesta dribbled past Hamit Altintop and Eto’o held off Breno before setting Messi free to slide past Butt for his seventh strike in eight Champions League matches this season.

The falling rain made the playing surface quick, but Barça’s passing and movement were even slicker, and Eto’o duly made it two in the 12th minute. Iniesta and Messi combined again, the Barça number 10 picking out Eto’o’s run in time to let the striker slide the ball under the advancing Butt.

Then in the 38th minute Messi reacted by adding his eighth goal of the competition – becoming its the leading scorer in the process – applying the finish to Henry’s low cross despite the attentions of three defenders. Three became four when Henry rolled in his 50th Champions League strike.

BARCELONA: Valdes, Dani Alves, Marquez, Pique, Puyol, Xavi, Toure Yaya (Busquets 81), Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o (Bojan 89), Henry (Keita 74). Subs not used: Pinto, Caceres, Gudjohnsen, Sylvinho. Booked: Messi, Marquez.

BAYERN MUNICH: Butt, Oddo, Demichelis, Breno, Lell, Altintop (Ottl 46), Schweinsteiger, Van Bommel, Ze Roberto (Sosa 76), Ribery, Toni. Subs not used: Rensing, Podolski, Lahm, Borowski, Badstuber. Booked: Lell, Demichelis.

Referee: Howard Webb(England).