Barcelona (1) 5 - AEK Athens (0) 0

Barcelona: Reina; Gabri, Reiziger, Frank De Boer, Sergi; Guardiola (Xavi 57'), Cocu; Luis Enrique (Gerard 65'), Rivaldo, Overmars (Sergio Santamaría 46'); Kluivert. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
1-0. 21. Luis Enrique. Close up after Guardiola played on Kluivert's pass.
2-0. 30. Luis Enrique. Went round three defenders and shotinto far corner.
3-0. 56. Rivaldo. Took Kluivert through ball and ran on to shoot past keeper.
4-0. 57. Luis Enrique. Ran on to pass from Sergi, dribbled keeper and scored.
5-0. 87. Gerard (penalty). After player himself brought down in area.

After a shaky few minutes, Barcelona went on to win comfortably against ten man AEK Athens. Despite taking a one goal lead into this match Serra Ferrer picked a full strength side, only missing the suspended Abelardo, with Overmars returning after injury. However they were lucky not to go behind in the first few minutes as Nikolaidis pushed the ball through Reina's legs, only to see it take a deflection and go just wide. Although Atmatsidis did well to save from a Cocu header, Lakis and Zicos both went close, and Barça president Juan Gaspart had one of those looks on his face as if the man sitting next to him had just broken wind. But then the Luis Enrique show took over, the Spanish international scoring twice in ten minutes to end the Greek's challenge, with Kluivert and Guardiola combining to set up the first and Luis Enrique doing it all by himself for the second. In between AEK were reduced to ten men after Kapsis was sent off rather harshly by Italian referee Stefano Braschi for a foul on Kluivert.

Serra Ferrer brought on Sergio Santamaria for Overmars at half time, the youngster making his first appearance of the season, and ten minutes in to the half Rivaldo (who will miss the quarter final first leg as he will be on international duty) scored his team's third from a possible offside position after Kluivert put him through. A few minutes later Luis Enrique completed his hat-trick, his eight goal in five games, before being substituted to great applause a few minutes later with a cut knee which could keep him out of this weekend's game. That was about the only time the smallest home crowd of the season (12,000 or so) woke up, the tiny contingent of AEK fans outchanting them throughout the game, and Gaspart's face still suggested that the Greek man to his left had a serious digestive problem. But then for Barcelona playing in this competition is a sign of failure, and even if they go on to win the competition the fans will probably not be happy. When substitute Gerard added the fifth from the penalty spot most of them had gone home already, and not many more are expected to turn up for their quarter final clash in a fortnight's time with Celta (who incidentally are also their rivals in the Spanish cup semi-finals). A six goal aggregate victory is little consolation to a team 'in crisis'.