Lionel Messi fires double as Barcelona control derby

Barcelona secured a comfortable 4-1 win over nine-man Espanyol in the first leg of their Copa del Rey round-of-16 clash at the Nou Camp last night.

Espanyol took an early lead through former Manchester City forward Felipe Caicedo but Barcelona replied thanks to Lionel Messi’s first-half brace.

The Argentine talisman turned provider as he set-up Gerard Pique to put the hosts 3-1 up and Neymar added a late fourth to give Barcelona a commanding first-leg lead.