Barca seal semi-final spot

Lionel Messi, who played despite pre-match speculation that he may be rested with the tie effectively settled after last week's 5-1 win at the Nou Camp, scored the only goal of the game just before half-time.

Barca now move on to a likely semi-final meeting with arch rivals Real Madrid, with Jose Mourinho's side holding a 4-0 advantage from the first leg of their tie with Tottenham.

For Shakhtar, defeat was their second in as many games at home, having had their previously unbeaten record in their own back yard ended by Obolon Kiev in the Ukrainian Premier League at the weekend.

Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola had questioned the benefit of resting his best players in such an important game before kick-off and the Barca boss was true to his word, sending out a full-strength side which showed just one enforced change from the first leg: Ibrahim Afellay in for the suspended Andres Iniesta.

But, buoyed by the 50,000-plus crowd at the impressive Donbass Arena, it was the hosts who started the brighter of the two sides and enjoyed the better of the opening 25 minutes.

In particular Jadson, one of four Brazilians in the Ukrainian side's starting XI, was integral to Shakhtar's promising early play, the midfielder first catching the eye with a delightful reverse pass for Douglas Costa to test Victor Valdes after just eight minutes.

The two players then reversed roles as Costa rolled the ball back for Jadson to shoot straight at Valdes before the Barca keeper was again called into action by a first-time Jadson effort from Henrik Mkhitaryan's cross.

Barca finally got going on the half-hour mark, as their trademark free-flowing attacking football began to surface with the overlapping Adriano haring onto Afellay's pass only to see his goalbound shot from a narrow angle well cleared off the line by Yaroslav Rakitskiy.

Moments later Messi attempted a cute chip over the advancing Andriy Pyatov - who was equal to the effort - before former PSV Eindhoven man Afellay brought a smart save from the keeper with a crisp strike from outside the area.

With Barca looking menacing once again, it was only a matter of time before a breakthrough was made. Messi duly delivered on 43 minutes, latching onto a Dani Alves pass before controlling the ball, keeping his feet and slotting past Pyatov.

There was time before the half-time whistle for Jadson to further stretch Valdes with an accurate free-kick that seemed destined for the top corner, but at 6-1 down on aggregate Mircea Lucescu's side knew they were playing only for pride.

After the break, Messi went close to instigating a second for Barca, the Argentine wizard gliding past two challenges before slipping the ball to Afellay, who saw his curling effort repelled by Pyatov.

Shakhtar nearly gave their fans something to celebrate on 73 minutes, Valdes denying Mkhitaryan with a wonderful save, and again 10 minutes later when substitute Marcelo Moreno conspired to stab wide from close range.

But there was to be no stunning comeback to salvage a result on the night and Barca, who were afforded the luxury of being able to take off Xavi, Gerard Pique and David Villa in the closing stages, now turn their focus to the upcoming Clasico double-header against Madrid in La Liga and the Copa del Rey - with another meeting in a third competition now looming large on the horizon.