MADRID - Arabstoday
Barcelona\'s, Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after scoring during the Champions League semi-final A double from two-time world footballer of the year Lionel Messi saw Barcelona beat bitter domestic rivals Real Madrid 2-0 here on Wednesday night in their
Champions League semi-final first leg clash.
The second leg is next Tuesday and the winners are likely to play Manchester United in the May 28 final at Wembley after the English side beat Schalke 04 2-0 away on Tuesday.
Earlier, Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita had been called up to replace the injured Andres Iniesta for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Half-time draw
Real Madrid and Barcelona had drawn 0-0 at half-time of their Champions League semi-final first leg match.
Iniesta misses the match after suffering a calf strain.
Mali international Keita was competing in his eighth Champions League fixture this season, three having been named in Pep Guardiola\'s starting line-up.
For Real, Lassana Diarra as expected came in for the injured Sami Khedira in midfield with Barcelona captain Carles Puyol, fit after a muscle strain, returning in the centre of defence.
Real\'s Raul Albiol takes the place left vacant in defence by the suspended Ricardo Carvalho.
This was the third leg of four clasico\'s inside 18 days.
The honours were shared in the opening league fixture 1-1, with Real prevailing to win the Spanish Cup with a 1-0 extra time win in the second of the clashes between the Spanish giants - the preceding league match had ended in a draw.
From : Gulf News