LIONEL MESSI INSPIRED BARCELONA TO A 2-0 VICTORY OVER ESPANYOL... ... ...

Lionel Messi scored what verified to be the winner as city beat Espanyol 2-0 to succeed in the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Th during a game that saw Philippe Coutinho create his long-awaited debut.

Luis Suarez scored AN early opener within the quarter-final second leg before Messi’s deflected effort gave city a 2-1 mixture advantage because the holders upturned a 1-0 deficit from last week’s 1st leg.

Messi had lost a penalty in this match because the leaders of l. a. Liga were overwhelmed for the primary time since August, however they did enough on Th to affix metropolis, Valencia and Leganes in Friday’s draw for the last four.

Coutinho was named on the bench for the primary time since his one hundred sixty million-euro ($192 million) transfer from metropolis earlier this month.
The 25-year-old Brazilian was introduced midway through the last half in situ of Andres Iniesta, coming into the Camp Nou pitch to an enormous roar from the house crowd.

PHOTO:- COURTESY OF ONLINE