£6,000 a ticket for Barca-Real

Barcelona manager Carles Rexach believes tonight's Champions League clash with Real Madrid could go down in Spanish folklore.

Barca face their bitter rivals at the Nou Camp in the first leg of their semi-final and Rexach feels the all-Spanish clash will capture the country's imagination.

It certainly has for the fans of the two clubs with tickets for the match changing hands for as much as £6,000.

"There is no doubt this game will be remembered," said Rexach said. "As it is Barca-Real it is obvious it's a different kind of match.

"For Madrid, this is the most important semifinal in the last few years and that stands as much for Barcelona. But I don't want to knock out Real Madrid and then fall in the Final."

Rexach will be without Brazilian forward Rivaldo and defender Carles Puyol, who picked up knocks during Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Celta Vigo. On the plus side Italian defender Francesco Coco has recovered from the ankle injury which kept him out of the Celta match and striker Patrick Kluivert has recovered from knee problems and will return to the attack.