Football: Barcelona host Real Madrid in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey

It will be the first of three Barca-Real matches over the next month, with the return leg and the second league match still to come. Barcelona is coming off a huge 6-1 second-leg win over Sevilla to advance to the semis, while Real dispatched Girona comfortably 7-3 on aggregate. Lionel Messi has returned to training, a day before Barcelona host Real Madrid in the first leg of the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. Messi re-joined his teammates on the practice field and showed no signs he was bothered by the injury. The fixture will be Solari's first 'Clasico' in charge of Real Madrid but is the first of three matches between the rivals in less than a month. The last time the two sides met Barcelona thrashed Madrid 5-1, a result that prompted the sacking of former coach Julen Lopetegui after just three months in charge.