RIVALDO INSPIRES BARCA TO WIN

The game saw seven bookings, five for the home side, who also had Pablo Rotchen sent off seven minutes before the interval for his second yellow card.

However, the visitors had already shown their class, samba star Rivaldo had already given Barca the lead in the 14th minute, with a typical free-kick that took a deflection off the defensive wall.

Indeed riding on the crest of a 15 match unbeaten streak, Barcelona looked full of confidence.

Just four minutes after Rotchen received his marching orders, Alfonso doubled Barca's lead.

Patrick Kluivert was rested and Alfonso took advantage with a powerful shot that crashed off the post, hit the goalkeeper, Alfredo Argenso on the back of the head and went in.

Former Rangers target, Raul Tamudo put the home side back into the game with a 58th minute goal, which could have been disallowed for handball.

However, the game should have been over before then, as in the 54th minute Luis Enrique latched onto a rebound but with the goal gaping he somehow blasted it off the bar and to safety.

In the closing stages, Tamudo twice hit the post but the game ended with Barca favourites to go through to the semi-finals.