Summary

  • First leg: Barcelona 3-1 Villarreal

  • Neymar double and Suarez put Barca into final

  • Pina sent off for Villarreal

  • Winners meet Espanyol or Athletic Bilbao

  • GET INVOLVED: What is your perfect European football moment?

  1. GET INVOLVEDpublished at 19:24 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    We want to know what your perfect European football moment is. It can be Champions League, foreign leagues, even local football.

    Tweet us on #bbceurofooty.

    Jamie Wigby CFC:, external Chelsea beating bayern Munich in their own back year in the champions league final 2012.

    Fergie Mac:, external Best moment by far is John Terry Penalty Miss Champions League Final 2008.

    And on Barcelona's lovely denim shirts and smart trouser combination to arrive at El Madrigal...

    DRHolmes:, external Fashion wise Dani Alves is the Diva at Barca! followed by Neymar. The worst? MESSI. His choice of suits at Ballon d'or...yuck!

    Lionel MessiImage source, Getty Images
  2. GREAT SAVE!published at 19:22 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Villarreal are patient and capable. Tip, tap, nudges of the ball they find one another neatly. It's patient but wait...Denis Cheryshev is in again...saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

    A lovely slide into the inside-right channel and Cheryshev is in behind Barcelona's deep defence. He has a second to think from a narrow angle and decides power but it's a strong diving save.

  3. CLOSE!published at 19:18 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    The home side have had four shots to their visitors' one and Ikechukwu Uche nearly grabs his eighth goal of the season.

    Tomas Pina's reverse pass puts him in, first time hit, side netting. A good sight of goal and not far away but the target needed testing there.

  4. Postpublished at 19:16 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Villarreal as ever are 4-4-2 and organised. Their yellow shirts shine like beacons on the lush green surface. Narrow when they lose the ball, they press well and Barcelona are not slicing through but they don't need to.

    Sergio Busquets takes a whack as Barca construct possession for nearly 90 seconds.

  5. Your quiz result...published at 19:14 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    The answer to our quiz question: Which side sit second to Barcelona's 26 Copa del Rey wins?

    Unai Lopez

    Next come Atletico Madrid with 10, Valencia on seven and Real Zaragoza 6.

  6. CLOSE!published at 19:13 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Jaume Costa down the Villarreal left is problematic for Barcelona, supporting play, he gets it and weaves onto his left peg to clip a ball.

    It's good and Luciano Vietto does not have to move but neither does the Barca keeper as Villarreal's forward heads straight at him from 12 yards.

  7. CLOSE!published at 19:10 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Luis suarezImage source, Getty Images

    Penny for the thoughts of Marcelino. The Villarreal manager warned you have to be clever against this Barcelona side but his side were tempted in early doors and Messi's divine touch carved them up. Neymar is nearly in again on the end of a lobbed pass but Sergio Asenjo is off his line like Usain Bolt from the blocks and collects.

  8. Denis the menacepublished at 19:08 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Dennis the MenaceImage source, Getty Images

    Cristiano Ronaldo has 13 La Liga assists this season, Lionel Messi 10, but who do you think comes in third?

    Real Madrid's Isco? No. Luis Suarez? No. Gareth Bale surely? No.

    Meet Villarreal's Denis Cheryshev. He has created nine of his side's 38 league goals. Cheryshev is on loan from Real Madrid.

    Denis CheryshevImage source, Reuters
  9. CLOSE!published at 19:07 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Denis Chryshev must be...no. Over the bar.

    A corner kick is flicked delicately by Luicano Vietto and Cheryshev is four yards out at an angle. He smashes through it, a sledgehammer right foot, and that one is troubling the fireworks we saw earlier. Way over.

  10. GOALpublished at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Neymar scoresImage source, AP

    Jackpot.

    Home atmosphere, a side hunting you down and bang, a goal with the first attack to settle nerves. It's the ruthless mark of greatness and a goal which lives up to the quality of such a side.

    Luis Suarez is released down the left and bangs a ball across field to Lionel Messi. His cross is sublime. It is a dinked flick over the Villarreal defence with just enough pace to tempt the goalkeeper out. He's beaten to it by Neymar, 1-0.

    Neymar celebratesImage source, Getty Images
  11. CLOSE!published at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Villarreal, pushed forward with a surge of noise from their home fans, have an early jab at Barca through Denis Cheryshev. He is on the end of Jaume Costa's cross to head wide from 12 yards.

  12. KICK-OFFpublished at 19:01 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Here we go then. Any chance of serious drama or will the Barcelona juggernaut crush this one early?

    Possession football at the back early doors, feel one another out. Mascherano slides a pass along the back line and gets it back under no pressure.

  13. Noise, fireworks and lots of yellowpublished at 18:59 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Some noise at El Madrigal as the players leave the tunnel. Some fans wave yellow balloons and it seems someone outside the stadium has some stock left from early November as fireworks (albeit just a few) hit the sky.

    There is a sense of expectancy here from home fans. Remember they have waited a long time for an occasion like this and have never played in a major final.

    All in yellow as you'd expect, Barca in a pink/peach number.

  14. A big night in Spainpublished at 18:56 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    'APPOINTMENT WITH THE KING', reads Marca's lead page today.

    The Copa del Rey - King's Cup - could have a new winner if Villarreal can beat Barca and win in the final against either Espanyol or Athletic Bilbao.

    Here is a quiz question for you: Barcelona have won the Copa del Rey 26 times, but who is second on the list of most wins?

    Answer shortly.

    MarcaImage source, Marca
  15. Villarreal's first-leg hopepublished at 18:54 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Neymar has penalty saved by AsenjoImage source, Getty Images

    Any second-leg which arrives with Barcelona three goals to the good may look a dead rubber on paper, so did the momentum change in this tie late in the first meeting?

    Neymar saw a late penalty saved by Sergio Asenjo which prevented a 4-1 lead at the Nou Camp and as Spanish football enthusiasts saw on Sunday, Villarreal are capable of mixing it with the big boys.

    They fought back to draw at Real Madrid - Asenjo was superb again - and they had the cheek to rest several players at the Bernabeu too, hence the nine changes tonight.

  16. Dedicated followers of fashionpublished at 18:52 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    They seek him here, they seek him there,

    His clothes are loud, but never square.

    It will make or break him so he's got to buy the best,

    'Cause he's a dedicated follower of fashion.

    Daniel AlvesImage source, Barcelona fc

    Some lyrics from the Kinks there and their 1966 track - 'Dedicated Follower of Fashion.'

    Barcelona must have it playing on the team bus because theri players are decked in denim shirts and smart blue pants. I think they even have matching black leather trainers. Each player seems to add his own touch, - a peak-cap here, some sunglasses there.

    They look slick though. Send me your thoughts on #bbceurofooty.

    Ivan RakiticImage source, Barcelona fc
  17. GET INVOLVEDpublished at 18:47 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    McCutcheon sang about a perfect moment, Enrique says Barca are enjoying one, but what is your perfect European football moment?

    David Beckham winning La Liga? Roberto Di Matteo answering Roman Abramovich's plea for a Champions League?

    Tweet us on #bbceurofooty or comment on the BBC Sport Facebook page., external

    Martine McCutcheon and Roberto Di MatteoImage source, ALAMY
  18. Team newspublished at 18:46 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    Read it and weep. The teamsheet that is.

    Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez all start for Barcelona, who welcome back Sergio Busquets after he misses Saturday's Granada win.

    Villarreal are, as expected, much changed from Sunday's draw at Real Madrid. Nine changes in all. Top scorer Luciano Vietto starts having been an effective substitute at the Bernabeu.

    Neymar shirtImage source, Barcelona FC

    Villarreal XI: Asenjo, Mario, Musacchio, V.Ruiz, J.Costa, J.Dos Santos, Pina , Trigueros, Cheryshev, Vietto, Uche.

    Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Montoya, Piqué, Sergio, Iniesta, Suárez, Messi, Neymar, Rafinha, Mascherano, Alba.

  19. Barca clearing hurdlespublished at 18:41 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    'FINAL STRETCH' reads the front page of Spanish sports paper Mundo Deportivo.

    The brilliant image of Lionel Messi negotiating hurdles provides an idea... maybe the striker should have to negotiate such objects as well as defenders in order to level the playing field.

    Mundo DeportivoImage source, Mundo Deportivo

    Remember, questions were asked of Barca boss Luis Enrique earlier in the season. The treble is still on.

  20. You cannot beat Barca with heart...published at 18:38 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2015

    MarcelinoImage source, Empics

    As Moises Llorens writes in Spanish paper AS today,, external Villarreal have not gone into a semi-final second leg with real hope of a place in a cup final in 3,235 days.

    On that night in 2006, they could not overcome a one-goal deficit against Arsenal in the Champions League.

    But the Yellow Submarine are on the up and despite relegation in 2012, have bounced back to sit sixth in La Liga.

    Their brand of football remains quick, neat and sharp, but three defeats to Barcelona already this season mean manager Marcelino is not going to simply send his troops out all guns blazing tonight.

    "You can't beat Barca with heart alone. You have to be very clever," he says. "We will try to be organised in defence and tight at the back. When we have the ball we have to be daring, precise and quick - something that is difficult."