Lionel Messi scores twice in long-awaited return

Madrid: Lionel Messi scored twice on his first appearance in 59 days as Barcelona edged towards the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with a 4-0 win over Getafe in the first leg of their last 16 tie. The four-time World Player of the Year replaced Andres Iniesta after 63 minutes with Barcelona leading 2-0 thanks to a Cesc Fabregas double.

Messi put the tie to bed a minute from time when he slotted home a loose ball inside the area. And he added his 16th goal of the season with a stunning run and finish to round off the scoring in stoppage time.

With Messi having been out of action since tearing his hamstring in the 4-1 win over Real Betis in early November he was left on the bench by Barca boss Gerardo Martino. The Argentine coach also had Saturday's upcoming top of the table clash away to Atletico Madrid in mind as he made had made six changes to the side that started last weekend's 4-0 win over Elche.

However, with Messi and Neymar, ruled out by a stomach bug, again not in the starting line-up, Martino maintained the front three of Alexis Sanchez, Pedro Rodriguez and Fabregas. Martino's selection proved inspired as Pedro's lobbed cross was expertly headed into the far corner by Fabregas after just eight minutes.

However, Getafe then managed to stifle Barca from creating too many clear-cut chances before the break and indeed the hosts were grateful to a great save from Jose Manuel Pinto to turn away Juan Rodriguez's header to go in ahead at half-time.

Barca did finally have the breathing space they craved when Juan Valera upended Pedro inside the area and Fabregas blasted the resulting penalty into the top corner. That set the scene for Messi's arrival and he didn't disappoint as he calmly slotted home a loose ball inside the area with his trusted left-foot after Martin Montoya had burst into the Getafe box.

The best was still to come, though, as Messi embarked on a trademark run through the Getafe defence before slamming high past Jordi Codina to leave next week's second leg in Madrid a formality.

Negredo fires Man City to brink of final

Negredo fires Man City to brink of final

Manchester (UK): Alvaro Negredo plundered a hat-trick as Manchester City destroyed hapless West Ham United 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium to all but qualify for the League Cup final.

West Ham had seen a second-string team embarrassed 5-0 at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup on Sunday, but even the return of several first-team players could not prevent a mauling by City's ruthless forwards in the semi-final first leg.

A smartly taken brace from Negredo and a goal from the marauding Yaya Toure put City 3-0 up, with Negredo completing his hat-trick in the second half before Edin Dzeko sealed victory with two goals of his own.

Manuel Pellegrini's City have now scored 59 goals in their 15 home games to date this season and their place in the final appears a formality ahead of the return leg at Upton Park on January 21. For injury-ravaged West Ham, meanwhile, focus will reluctantly return to the fight to haul themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce made eight changes to the team thrashed at Forest, handing a debut to new loan signing Roger Johnson, while Toure and Vincent Kompany were among the returning players in a strong City XI.

Speaking ahead of the game, Allardyce admitted that a draw would be an ideal result, but the visitors quickly found themselves overrun. Samir Nasri had driven a low cross across the face of goal and Javi Garcia had headed wide from a David Silva corner by the time Negredo broke the deadlock in the 12th minute.

It was a goal of arresting simplicity, with Negredo haring onto a raking 60-yard pass from Toure and lashing an impeccable left-foot volley into the bottom-right corner. After West Ham goalkeeper Adrian saved from first Silva and then Nasri, Negredo made it 2-0 in the 26th minute with a shot into the roof of the net from strike partner Dzeko's through ball.

Toure had given City a scare by limping to the touchline after injuring himself in a slide tackle, but after returning to the fray he added to the hosts' lead with a characteristic driving run followed by a low shot. Had Dzeko shown more composure, City's half-time lead might have been even greater, but at no point did West Ham threaten to turn the game into a contest.

Allardyce introduced Carlton Cole up front at half-time, but within four minutes City were four goals up as Negredo completed his hat-trick by sweeping home a shot from Silva's deflected pass. It was the Spaniard's second City hat-trick, after a treble against CSKA Moscow in November, and Dzeko got in on the act in the 60th minute when he slid home a cross from Gael Clichy.

As West Ham's fans took to angrily goading Allardyce, City took their foot off the pedal, but in the 89th minute Aleksandar Kolarov got to the byline and cut the ball back for Dzeko to complete the rout.