Barcelona edge past plucky Schalke

Barcelona 1 Schalke 0 (Barcelona win 2-0 on aggregate)

Barcelona set up a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final clash with Manchester United following a hard-fought victory over Schalke at the Nou Camp tonight.

Yaya Toure's scuffed strike after 43 minutes was enough to give the Catalan outfit a narrow win and a 2-0 aggregate triumph over a German side who dominated much of the first half.

Barca started brightly and could have gone ahead after just two minutes, when Samuel Eto'o fed Bojan Krkic in the area, but the youngster miscontrolled his effort and Xavi volleyed over the bar following a series of rebounds.

But Schalke - in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in their history - were not intimidated by the occasion or the hostile Nou Camp atmosphere.

Gerald Asamoah drove wide from outside the box after four minutes and Halil Altintop saw his dipping effort scrambled away by Victor Valdes at the second attempt in the visitors' next attack.

At the other end, Andres Iniesta picked out Xavi with a perfectly-weighted through-ball after 11 minutes, but the latter's low drive was brilliantly pushed wide by Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer.

Kevin Kuranyi then got between Gianluca Zambrotta and Lilian Thuram, but could not direct Rafinha's sweeping right-wing cross past an exposed Valdes after 13 minutes.

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard predicted on Tuesday that this would be an intriguing match played between two sides with different footballing philosophies, but the under-fire Dutchman must have been disturbed at how easily his much-criticised defence was being carved open by an intense German outfit.

Indeed, Schalke should have gone ahead after 21 minutes, when Kuranyi shot wide from point-blank range at the far post.

The Germany striker - restored to the starting line-up after being dropped for last weekend's 1-0 win over Hansa Rostock - appeared low on confidence following a barren run in front of goal.

Barcelona, however, must have been grateful for the former Stuttgart man's poor finishing.

The hosts came close themselves through a well-worked free-kick after 25 minutes, but Bojan shot straight at Neuer from just inside the area.

Xavi then blasted a free-kick over the bar from a wide angle on the half-hour mark as the game lost some of its early intensity.

Schalke coach Mirko Slomka had said on Tuesday that he hoped his side would hold out until half-time and they looked to be doing so with relative ease until Toure put the home side ahead with a scrappy strike two minutes before the break.

The Ivory Coast midfielder released Bojan on the right, but the youngster's cross was headed high into the air by Schalke defender Marcelo Bordon.

When it came back down, Mladen Krstajic headed off the line, but the ball fell to Toure, who scuffed his shot underneath Neuer and into the net from six yards out to give Barcelona a lead they barely deserved.

Having lost 1-0 in the first leg last week, Schalke now needed to score twice to get back in the tie.

But Barcelona started strongly after the interval.

Rijkaard's side were missing injured trio Ronaldinho, Deco and Lionel Messi in attack.

But in their absence, Bojan was a constant threat on the right-hand side.

The 17-year-old forward squared neatly for the unmarked Henry after 49 minutes, but the former Arsenal striker curled a side-footed shot inches over the bar.

Barcelona then came close again a minute later, when Iniesta's long-range drive was pushed just past the post by Neuer.

Bojan continued to look dangerous, but the final ball was missing from the youngster's play and the home side remained unable to build on their slender lead.

The young forward still looked the most likely source of a second Catalan goal, though, and the crowd voiced their discontent when Rijkaard opted to withdraw the player 17 minutes from time.

White handkerchiefs were waved in protest at the decision, but Barcelona remained in control of the game and Bojan's replacement, Giovani Dos Santos, also looked lively.

The Mexican had been the Catalans' best player in Sunday's disappointing draw at home to Getafe and was instantly involved again here, firing a rasping drive at Neuer after 78 minutes.

Henry should then have set up the unmarked Eto'o after 81 minutes and also failed to find Giovani when the Mexican stood alone at the far post in the hosts' next foray forward.

Schalke too had their moments late on, but were unable to recreate the excellent form they showed in the first period and Barcelona held on comfortably in the end for a win which sees them advance to the semi-finals and a potentially spectacular tie with Manchester United.

Captain Carles Puyol will miss that match after picking up a second-half booking for a foul on Asamoah.