Winger Malcom's second half strike secured Barcelona a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid to leave the Copa del Rey semi-final evenly poised on Wednesday after the first leg.
The Brazilian, who started in place of Lionel Messi, curled home in the 58th minute to pull Barcelona level after Lucas Vazquez had fired Real Madrid ahead early on.
Vazquez struck after just six minutes to silence the Nou Camp at the end of a slick team move, with Santiago Solariâs side impressing in the opening stages.
However, Ivan Rakitic clipped the crossbar with a header as Barcelona fought for an equaliser and Malcom eventually found it when Luis Suarezâs shot rebounded to him off the post.
Messi, who suffered a thigh injury at the weekend against Valencia, appeared for the final half hour but could not help champions Barcelona find a late winner.
Reuters
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Ernesto Valverde is waiting anxiously on the fitness of Lionel Messi after the Argentine suffered a thigh strain in the Catalans' 2-2 draw with Valencia on the weekend.
It is true that sometimes we have had doubts with players and we have waited until the last moment. It is the same with Messi.
Real Madrid have been rejuvenated after a calamitous start to the season under Julen Lopetegui.
Santiago Solari's side have won seven of their last eight games.
Here is The Independent's combined starting XI for tonight's fixture:
The team news is in. Messi starts on the bench!
Vinicius and Llorente start for Madrid.
Solari has chosen to play 24-year-old Marcos Llorente ahead of Casemiro for the fixture.
The belief behind the decision was supposedly that the tireless runner would be able to man-mark Lionel Messi but with the Argentine left out that could well be a gamble the Madrid boss is now regretting.
Barcelona's assistant manager, Jon Aspiazu, has spoken to Gol about Messi's fitness:
We didn't want to take any risk. Messi is 100%, but we preferred for him to start on the bench. He could come on at any moment.
Barcelona remain the favourites tonight, even without their talisman. They've won the last four clasicos and still have Luis Suarez leading the line. The Uruguayan has scored 16 goals and added eight assists in 29 games so far this season.
Madrid are finishing off their warm-up. The last time they stepped on the Camp Nou pitch they were felled 5-1, which proved the final straw of Julen Lopetegui's reign.
It's a huge night for 18-year-old wonderkid Vinicius Jr who makes his El Clasico debut tonight. The Brazilian teenager has started the last five La Liga games for Real and cemented himself as an integral figure during the club's recent resurgence.
Perhaps the player with the biggest opportunity tonight is Malcom. The Brazilian, once targeted by both Arsenal and Tottenham, ditched a move to Roma at the last minute to join Barcelona but has endured a tumultuous start to his career at Camp Nou.
The 21-year-old has only started five games in all competitions this season, but has a rare look in thanks to Lionel Messi's injury tonight.
The players are all smiles as the two teams greet each other in the tunnel.
And we're underway!
2': It's a positive start for Real Madrid as Luca Modric looks to cast his influence and unpick Barca's defence early on. Vinicius is attempting to run in behind Carvajal but is caught offside.
4': Toni Kroos takes a long-range shot which Ter Stergen can only palm away. Busquets picks up the loose ball and sets up Luis Suarez who has Malcom pleading for the pass to his left, but Suarez stutters and is dispossessed.
5': GOAL! Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid (Vasquez)
And from that wasteful play by Suarez, Madrid find the opening! The Galacticos immediately look to 18-year-old Vinicius who has peeled into space behind Semedo. The Brazilian collects the ball, pauses before picking out Benzema who has made a run at the far post. The in-form Frenchman cuts it back to Lucas Vazquez who toe-pokes home from six yards.
9': The goal seems to finally wake Barca who haven't got a foothold in the game so far. Coutinho weaves on the edge of the box, again looking to target Carvajal, jinks down the line and looks to play a one-two with Arthur but its cut out.
Moments later and Nelson Semedo wriggles into space on the opposite flank before being cleaned out by Sergio Ramos. An early yellow card for the Madrid captain who vents his anger at the decision.
13': Toni Kroos is fuming with Vinicius! The pair have a clean run through at Pique who has no support. The 18-year-old only needed to lay if off to his left and Kroos would have had a clear shot on goal, but instead Vinicius opts to shot. The game is already wide open.
17': Coutinho plays a sloppy pass and it's picked up by Karim Benzema. The Frenchman runs towards goal before passing to Vinicius who's poised on the edge of the box. The teenager turns Pique with ease but miscues his shot. It does take a bobble off Pique's flailing leg though and that'll be a corner. Madrid are continuing to find success on the counter.
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