Lionel Messi scored twice on his return to the Barcelona team as the Spanish champions recorded a 4-0 win over Getafe in the first leg of their Copa del Rey last-16 tie this evening.

The home side led 1-0 at the interval courtesy of a textbook header from Cesc Fabregas, before the midfielder added his second from the penalty spot in the second period.

The contest appeared to be heading for a routine 2-0 win, but Messi struck twice in the latter stages to hand the Catalan side a comprehensive lead ahead of the second leg in Madrid next week.

Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two La Liga rivals.

Match statistics:

Barcelona:
Shots: 19
On target: 9
Possession: 78%
Corners: 11
Fouls: 12

Getafe:
Shots: 10
On target: 2
Possession: 22%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 13

Was the result fair?

There is no question that Barcelona deserved to record a victory this evening, but the scoreline is slightly harsh on Getafe, who defended well for long periods. The away side had their moments during an end-to-end first period, but struggled to match Barca's intensity in the second half. At 2-0, Getafe would have been in with a chance of turning the tie around, but now it will take a minor miracle for them to advance from the second leg next week.

Barcelona's performance

The focus was on Messi this evening after it was confirmed that he had been named in the 18-man squad, but Barcelona demonstrated that they can cope without the Argentine with a confident display for 60 minutes. They had a few nervy moments defensively in the opening 45 minutes, but there was not a period in the match where they did not seem in control of proceedings. Even without the likes of Neymar and Xavi, it was another slick, confident display from the Spanish champions.

Getafe's performance

Had Getafe found the back of the net during their positive spell in the first period, it might have been a different story. The tie would not be won this evening, but it might have been lost after they conceded twice in the latter stages. Their best player and captain Pedro Leon remained on the bench until deep in the second half and they struggled for invention without his services. It will be interesting to see whether an understrength side is selected in the second leg with their focus surely now on the league.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Lionel Messi: This accolade appeared to be heading for Fabregas until Messi made a sensational return in the latter stages. The Argentine might have only played for 30 minutes, but he scored twice and could have had three more during a devastating period. His second goal, a mazy run which ended with a powerful finish, brought the Camp Nou to its feet.

Biggest gaffe

It is difficult to select one particular moment, but Getafe must be criticised for their finishing in the first half. They had a number of opportunities to find the back of the net, but too often failed to really test Jose Pinto. Chances at the Camp Nou do not come around too often and they were made to pay for missed chances this evening.

Referee performance

Jose Gonzalez had a relatively straightforward 90 minutes in Barcelona. The Spanish official did issue five yellow cards, but neither manager will have any complaints about his performance. He also correctly awarded the home side a penalty in the second period and allowed the match to flow whenever necessary.

What next?

Barcelona: The Catalan outfit make the trip to Madrid on Saturday for their top-of-the-table La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid.

Getafe: Getafe also resume La Liga action this weekend with a home fixture against struggling Rayo Vallecano.