Goals by Neymar, Luis Suarez and Messi give Barca 3-0 half-time lead
Jordi Alba converts Messi pass to make it 4-0
Neymar adds the fifth with a fierce drive
Messi is reportedly unhappy under boss Luis Enrique
Second leg to be played on 15 Jan
What a goal that would have been.
Lionel Messi's whipped free-kick delivery is punched clear by Przemyslaw Tyton in the Elche goal. He could perhaps have held it and he is almost punished as Dani Alves goes for a spectacular volley back towards the unguarded goal from 40 yards. Just wide.
Barcelona are faced with two solid banks of Elche defenders once they reach the attacking third. It is a problem they have faced many times before, but it still takes some solving.
Some gentle probing, but no penetration in this little spell.
Suddenly Lionel Messi is hurdling stretching legs and swerving grabbing arms - like a deer chased through a forest - but the shot doesn't match the mazy run that preceded it.
Goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton scoops up a tame 20 yarder with time to spare.
Neymar is asking the question, but no dice from the referee. The Brazilian was checked by Damian Suarez as he burst into the Elche box, but there wasn't enough to call it as a definite body check.
More one-touch wizardry from Barca as Lionel Messi looks for a return from Luis Suarez and Elche just about manage to hack clear before the Argentine recaptures possession.
The spurts of speed off the ball are dizzying at times from Barcelona. It is forcing Elche to concentrate so hard in defence.
Very nice from Barca.
Neymar slips the ball to Luis Suarez and doesn't stop to admire his work. The Brazilian is already haring forward is search of the second half of a one-two and Suarez obliges to put him in behind Elche.
Neymar's cut-back towards Ivan Rakitic's is blocked, but the ease with which Barcelona cut through was promising for the hosts.
Elche have the first chance to apply a bit of pressure and Javier Mascherano has to alert to boot away a clearance as they toss an early free-kick into the Barca box.
We are up and running. Lionel Messi through the middle with Neymar and Luis Suarez on the flanks for the hosts.
Teams are out in front of a sparsely-populated Nou Camp. Here we go...
Image source, Getty ImagesLuis Suarez's form is not exactly helping the mood at the Nou Camp.
The one-man headline generator has scored only three goals in his first 12 appearances for Barcelona.
Short change for £75m so far.
Image source, Getty ImagesNo team has won the Copa del Rey more times than Barcelona. The Catalan club have lifted the trophy on 26 occasions - three times more than Athletic Bilbao and seven ahead of holders Real Madrid.
Their last success was in 2012, when they beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in Madrid.
So is following opposition clubs on social media the new way to issue a "come-and-get-me plea"?
It makes a pleasant change from the old "I'm flattered to be linked with club x, but concentrating on the task at hand with club y at the moment" line.
What would be your method?
Perhaps lighting two flares in your prospective club's colours while kneeling topless on your current stadium roof? It worked for Nicholas Cage in the Rock.
Let us know on #bbceurofooty, external and 81111 on text.
Image source, Getty ImagesPromoted to the Spanish top-flight at the end of the 2012-13 campaign after a 23-year absence, Elche stayed up last season courtesy of a 16th-place finish.
They have their work cut out to do similar this season though. They are two points adrift at the bottom of the table.
In their line-up tonight is Chelsea's teenage midfielder Mario Pasalic, who is on a a season-long loan in Spain.
Anyway. Barcelona try to ignore all that nonsense and get the wheels back on the wagon tonight against Elche in the first leg of their Copa del Rey last 16 tie.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar are all in the line-up for tonight's game with Andres Iniesta, who was set for a rest, stepping back up to the bench after Xavi strained a calf muscle.
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Pique, Rakitic, Suarez, Messi, Neymar, Mascherano, Bartra, J. Alba, S.Roberto, Alves
Elche XI: Tyton, Damian, Roco, Lomban, Cisma, Herrera, Coro, Pelegrin, Faycal, Edu Albacar, Pasalic
All it took was a couple of social media clicks and suddenly the big transfer gossip train is really chugging.
As well as Leo keeping across pictures of Andre Schurrle tying his bootlaces on the Chelsea Instagram feed, a Twitter account apparently belonging to his partner, external started following the Blues on Twitter.
Image source, TwitterCue over-excited back-page splatter over here in Blighty:
Image source, Daily Star
Image source, MarcaSomething is rotten in the state of Barca.
On Sunday, Real Sociedad denied the Catalans the chance to move to the top of La Liga, inflicting a 1-0 defeat.
On Monday legendary goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta was sacked as director of football.
On Tuesday, Marca's front page claimed that the club was falling apart - with Lionel Messi at loggerheads with boss Luis Enrique.
On Wednesday, Spanish paper AS came out with more details - including the fact that Messi had started following Chelsea on Instagram.
As weeks go, it is registering pretty low on the Craig David scale., external