Half-Time Report: Lionel Messi fires Barcelona in front

Barcelona have taken a 1-0 lead in at half time against Villarreal in the Copa del Rey semi-final clash at Camp Nou.

The visitors seemed content to soak up the pressure and hit Barcelona on the break, but Luis Enrique's side dominated possession without creating anything clear cut.

Lionel Messi sliced a teasing ball across the face of the goal on 20 minutes but neither Neymar nor Luis Suarez could get on the end of the delivery.

Messi then saw a shot from the edge of the box curl over the bar before Jeremy Mathieu had a goal correctly ruled out for offside just after the half-hour mark.

Barca finally broke down the stubborn Villarreal five minutes before the break when Suarez profited from a mistake from by Musacchio before feeding Messi around 12 yards out.

The Argentina international made no mistake as he tucked away his 34th goal of the campaign.

Suarez then went close moments later as he flashed a shot across goal, and the Uruguay striker was unlucky not to get on the end of Jordi Alba's fizzed shot across goal from the edge of the box shortly before the half-time whistle.

However, the visitors nearly stung Barca at the death of the half when Denis Cheryshev almost squeezed an effort into the corner after a swift counter-attack.