Messi produces a neat flick to release Dani Alves down the right, though the full-back’s cross is poor and the chance fizzles out.

Messi nicks the ball off Lass Diarra but then loses out to Pepe, who goes down easily to win a free-kick for Madrid.

Showing his low centre of gravity, Messi slaloms past his marker and quickly switches feet to feed Thierry Henry, whose cross fails to find a Barcelona player.

Xavi lofts a high ball over the Real defence toward Messi, but the forward has strayed a few yards offside and the move is halted.

Messi beats Pepe with his close control before being tripped by Lass Diarra, drawing a free-kick in a dangerous area.

Messi is heavily body-checked by Álvaro Arbeloa, and the crude challenge earns the defender a yellow card.

As Messi drives toward goal, Thierry Henry is ruled offside in the same phase, and the assistant’s flag stops the attack and gives Madrid a free-kick.

Messi threads a pass to Andrés Iniesta on the left, and Iniesta delivers a good cross that Raúl Albiol clears with a vital header.

Held back cynically by Lass Diarra as he tries to break forward, Messi wins another booking against the Real midfielder.

Messi goes down under pressure and appeals for a foul, but the referee waves play on and refuses to give the free-kick.

Messi embarks on a wonderful winding run that leaves Pepe for dead before being hacked down, and from the resulting set-piece Gerard Piqué’s header goes inches wide.

Iniesta floats a pass into Messi, who dazzles again by showcasing his close-control dribbling skills against the packed Real defence.

Dani Alves drills a low diagonal ball across the box to Messi, who receives it just yards from goal; his close-range shot looks certain to score but Iker Casillas produces a superb save, moments before Lass Diarra is sent off for a second yellow.