Lionel Messi scored twice, the second an outrageous free-kick, to help give Barcelona a commanding but scarcely deserved Champions League semi-final lead over Liverpool.
The double took the brilliant Messi to 600 career goals for the Catalan club, and earned a 3-0 first leg win over Jurgen Klopp’s side - who were the better side for large spells of the contest - after Luis Suarez had opened the scoring against his former club.
Ernesto Valverde gave Philippe Coutinho the nod ahead of Ousmane Dembele to join Suarez in facing his old employers, with the inclusion of Chilean veteran Arturo Vidal over Brazilian youngster Arthur the only real surprise.
Surprise, however, was the order of the day for Jurgen Klopp as Joe Gomez was handed a first start since early December in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back.
With Roberto Firmino only fit enough for a place on the bench, Klopp opted against selecting a direct replacement, and instead employed Georginio Wijnaldum in a more advanced role, pushing on between the split forward pair of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.
Jurgen Klopp had dismissed the notion that this clash was a final before the final, but those claims did not look quite so outrageous in a first half that left you wondering how either Tottenham or Erik Ten Hag’s universally adored young Ajax side are supposed to live with the victors of this tie in Madrid a month today.
Liverpool’s fans, though notably not their players, wanted a penalty on five minutes when Gerard Pique gave the first indication that he would struggle to live with the menace of Mane, clumsily toppling the Senegalese forward inside the box.
At the other end, though, Barca were up and running, and after Ivan Rakitic had threatened with some intricate interchange with Coutinho, Liverpool needed a trademark piece of covering from Andy Robertson to thwart Lionel Messi.
Liverpool lost Naby Keita after little more than twenty minutes, but the introduction of Jordan Henderson, unlucky not to start, only helped maintain their early advantage in midfield, despite Vidal’s typically chaotic disruptive presence.
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Any time Barcelona’s forward got involved, however, there was trouble, and when Jordi Alba – to all intents and purposes a left winger – swung a peach of a ball in between Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip, Suarez was alive, darting in to find the net before showing no qualms about celebrating.
Liverpool were unperturbed, and might have been level when Henderson displayed the creative edge that has been a welcome addition to his game in recent weeks with a wonderful arced ball into the path of Mane, but he could only lift over the bar.
For all their good play, Liverpool had failed to ask a serious question of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, but they righted that immediately after the break as Salah and James Milner both forced the German into good saves with well-placed efforts from the edge of the box.
Where the first half had been ebb and flow, the opening period of the second saw only wave after wave of Liverpool attack, Salah’s immaculate control and Wijnaldum’s dummy almost teeing up Milner.
Valverde sacrificed Coutinho, sending on Nelson Semedo to double up with Sergi Roberto in trying to stem the Robertson-shaped tide, and shifting Vidal to the opposite flank, where he immediately found space to receive Messi’s pass inside the box, only to make a mess of the cut back.
Matip had to make up for his own tardiness in stepping up, getting back to thwart the ever-lively Suarez after playing him onside, but it was a rare moment of trepidation for the visitors, as Barca looked like adopting the kind of ‘we’ll take this’ approach they’d gone for late in the first leg of their quarter final win at Old Trafford.
But then came the game, and possibly tie, changing moment, Fabinho’s tackle inadvertently providing the missing link in a Barcelona attack that eventually sent Suarez in on goal. For a moment, Liverpool’s luck was in, as his shot came back of the bar, but only as far as Messi, who rolled into an empty net.
If goal number 599 for Barcelona was one of his simplest then number 600 was one of the very best, even considering the ridiculous bar set within that collection.
When the Argentine lined up a free-kick all of 35 yards from goal you felt even he would struggle to beat Alisson, but defying logic is what this man does, and he whipped a laser perfect effort that started way outside the upright and bent back inside just in time to nestle in the top corner.
Still Liverpool had a glorious chance to get the lifeline of an away goal, when Firmino, just on as a substitute, saw his shot cleared off the line and then roll out invitingly for Salah, only for the Egyptian, perhaps still stunned by what he had seen at the other end, to smash against the post.
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Barcelona vs Liverpool starting line-ups
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Vidal, Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
Subs: Cillessen, Semedo, Arthur, Dembele, Malcom, Umtiti, Alena
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah
Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Firmino, Henderson, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold
Gomez starts, no Firmino
Some big, big surprises in that team selection from Jurgen Klopp. Joe Gomez is in for his first start since returning from injury, and it looks like he'll be at right back because Trent Alexander-Arnold is dropped to the bench.
Good luck working out how that midfield is going to shape up - Wijnaldum, Milner, Keita and Fabinho are all in, though no Jordan Henderson.
Roberto Firmino is only fit enough for the bench, so Salah and Mane will lead the line as a pair it seems.
Barcelona vs Liverpool team news
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Sergi Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Vidal, Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
Subs: Cillessen, Semedo, Arthur, Dembele, Malcom, Umtiti, Alena
Barcelona vs Liverpool team news
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Milner, Wijnaldum, Keita, Mane, Salah
Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Firmino, Henderson, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold
Predicted XIs: Barcelona vs Liverpool
Liverpool prepare to face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie this evening boosted by the return of Roberto Firmino.
Photo: Liverpool FC
The Brazilian forward missed Friday night's 5-0 Premier League demolition of relegated Huddersfield Town with a muscle tear, but returned to training on Tuesday and did travel to Catalonia with his team-mates.
Jurgen Klopp said he would wait until Wednesday to decide whether or not Firmino is ready to return to the starting XI for such an important match, though the omens look good.
Mohamed Salah will definitely start for the Reds after worried social media rumours regarding a potential thigh injury proved unfounded, while Fabinho is also in contention after a head injury that ruled him out against Huddersfield.
With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain now back in the fold after a long-term knee injury, Adam Lallana is likely to be Liverpool's only absentee against Barcelona.
The hosts also have a near clean bill of health, with only Rafinha missing after undergoing knee ligament surgery in December.
Philippe Coutinho - whose form has been inconsistent since joining Barcelona for a club-record fee last January - is expected to get the nod against his former club, with Ousmane Dembele still working his way back to full fitness.
Predicted line-ups:
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, Arthur, Rakitic; Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Matip, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Milner, Salah, Mane, Firmino
Valverde calls on Barca fans to crank up the volume
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde hopes the Camp Nou faithful will give his side the edge against Liverpool and believes Jurgen Klopp is wrong to claim the stadium will not intimidate his team.
Photo: Getty
The 99,000-seater arena is the biggest stadium in Europe yet it does not have the same reputation for noise or unconditional support as Liverpool's Anfield.
After Liverpool coach Klopp said the Camp Nou is "just a stadium", Valverde urged the Barcelona supporters to turn up the volume in the game to help his side move towards a first Champions League final in four years.
"The fans at the Nou Camp have already played a decisive role this season. We've had over 90,000 fans at our last few games and we have felt the difference they made," Valverde told a news conference ahead of Wednesday's match.
"We expect the same tomorrow [Wednesday], and we know our fans will give us that extra push, just like Liverpool will get at Anfield. I think Klopp said that to cool the hype about the game, because it's just another game."
Klopp sticks with training ritual ahead of Barcelona clash
Jurgen Klopp elected to stick with his recent habit of forgoing the opportunity to train at the opposition’s home ground during Champions League away trips.
Liverpool’s first-team squad visited Camp Nou on Tuesday evening prior to facing Barcelona in the first leg of the sides’ semi-final tie.
Photo: Getty
However, they did not take part in a session at the world-famous venue - choosing instead to continue with a routine that began in late November.
Having suffered defeats in their first two away games in this competition this season, the Reds trained at Melwood prior to facing Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes.
While that fixture yielded yet another loss, Klopp’s team produced arguably their best performance on the road in Europe in 2018-19 up to that point.
And so, the German has put his players through their paces on Merseyside before flying out to the continent for games.
That has worked to good effect in the knockout stages, with Liverpool having beaten Bayern Munich and Porto 3-1 and 4-1 in the last 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
And, having done the same ahead of tonight's game, Klopp will hope for a similar outcome at Camp Nou.
Liverpool CEO Peter Moore urges fans to show 'respect' after minor disturbances in Barcelona
Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore has called on fans in Barcelona to "act in a manner befitting LFC" after minor disturbances in the city on Tuesday.
Videos have circulated on social media apparently showing individual supporters, in different incidents, pushing locals into a fountain at Placa Reial, just off La Rambla.
Later in the evening police cordoned off the square and forced all fans back on to the main tourist strip before walking them up the street to Placa de Catalunya, a main transport hub, where they dispersed.
Getty Images
Merseyside Police are understood to be aware of the existence of the video, as, apparently, is Moore.
"We proudly sing that we've conquered all of Europe. But let's treat this beautiful city with the respect that it deserves, and act in a manner that is befitting of LFC," the Reds chief executive wrote on Twitter.
"By all means have a good time, but we are Liverpool, and as such, let's visit here with grace and humility."
On Tuesday, as thousands of fans began to arrive in the city for the Champions League semi-final first leg, Merseyside Police's dedicated Twitter account for LFC fans tweeted the advice: "Eat, drink and enjoy all areas in the city centre. Respect monuments."
Some early injury news to bring you...
Reports in the Catalan press are claiming that Roberto Firmino is struggling to prove his fitness for tonight's clash.
The Brazilian striker missed Friday night's 5-0 win over Huddersfield, but Jurgen Klopp sounded hopeful of having him fit to play, but time will tell.
Photo: PA
There are some people, both in Spain and in England, that would have you believe that this is the first leg of the Champions League final tonight.
That's more than a tad disrespectful to the brilliant Ajax side, who had already knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus before taking a 1-0 first-leg league away from their clash with Tottenham last night, and to Spurs themselves, who have dealt with Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp was among those to swat that theory aside, in his press conference yesterday, but there is no doubt that whoever progresses from this clash tonight will be favourites for the final in Madrid on 1 June...
Welcome to Standard Sport's LIVE coverage of tonight's Champions League semi-final first leg between Barcelona and Liverpool!
We have Ben Hayward and David Lynch at Camp Nou for expert analysis and coverage, and we will have all the latest team news and build-up to tonight's 8pm kick-off.