Lionel Messi narrowly escaped being sent off after headbutting Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa as Barcelona's friendly with Roma became anything but friendly on Wednesday night.
Roma knew they were in for a frustrating evening at the Nou Camp chasing the shadows of the European champions and after going 1-0 down to Neymar's opener, French international Mapou lost his temper with Messi leaning his head in towards the Barcelona No 10 and making clear contact.
Messi responded by butting the French defender and grabbing him by the throat. The Spanish referee Javier Estrada Fernandez could easily have sent both players off - Mapou for the original aggression and Messi for the retaliation but instead showed the pair yellow cards and the game continued 11 against 11.
Alessandro Florenzi was then booked for going cynically through the back of Neymar and Radja Nainggolan made it a hat-trick of cautions for the visitors in the first half when he went into the book for complaining.
But it was impossible for things to turn too ugly as Barcelona produced some of the beautiful football that won them the Treble last season to beat Rudi Garcia's team.
Their second goal was picture book with Luis Suarez dribbling in from the right past Vasilis Torosidis and feeding Dani Alves who teed-up Neymar.
He laid the ball off to Messi who found the corner with a vicious curling shot.
That doubled Barca's lead after the Brazilian had opened on the scoring on 26 minutes.
Messi's long diagonal ball was nudged into Neymar's path by Jeremy Mathieu.
The French centre back, playing at left back in the first half, had shown a delicate first touch and when the twinkle-toed Brazilian took over there was only going to be one end result.
Neymar rounded Roma keeper Wojciech Szczesny after the Arsenal loanee had gone to ground and Barca had their opener.
With the score still at 2-0 on the hour Barca coach Luis Enrique made a raft of changes and Manchester United target Pedro was one of seven players to come on.
This was potentially his last Nou Camp appearance in a Blaugrana shirt but there was no sign of any special treatment.
He was left out of the starting line-up and only came on as Suarez, Messi and Neymar came off reaffirming his second-class status in Barca's forward line.
There were some chants of his name when he was presented to the crowd along with the rest of the squad before the game started but there was no smile from the former youth team player who will leave having served the club for a decade if as expected he completes his move next week after Barcelona's European Super Cup final against Sevilla.
He didn't take long to get involved tricking his way down the left and drilling a cross into Roma's six-yard box.
That provoked more chants of his name but it seems to be Pedro's fate at Barca to always be in the shadow of another player and within seconds the homage was drowned out by cheers as Ivan Rakitic hammered in the third with a shot from all of 30 yards.
Despite running out comfortable winners in what was the 50th Gamper Trophy - Barcelona's traditional friendly curtain raiser in honour of the club's founder - there was a price to pay with Neymar finishing the game with ice on his knee and left back Jordi Alba hobbling down the tunnel with what appeared to be a hamstring problem having come on at half-time.
- Lionel Messi threw an aggressive headbutt at Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
- Messi grabbed the French defender by the neck and pushed him away
- They were both separated by Roma's Leandro Castan and referee before being booked
- Messi then scored seven minutes later in the 41st minute after Neymar had opener
- Champions League final goalscorer Ivan Rakitic then netted the final goal
Alessandro Florenzi was then booked for going cynically through the back of Neymar and Radja Nainggolan made it a hat-trick of cautions for the visitors in the first half when he went into the book for complaining.
But it was impossible for things to turn too ugly as Barcelona produced some of the beautiful football that won them the Treble last season to beat Rudi Garcia's team.
Their second goal was picture book with Luis Suarez dribbling in from the right past Vasilis Torosidis and feeding Dani Alves who teed-up Neymar.
He laid the ball off to Messi who found the corner with a vicious curling shot.
That doubled Barca's lead after the Brazilian had opened on the scoring on 26 minutes.
Messi's long diagonal ball was nudged into Neymar's path by Jeremy Mathieu.
The French centre back, playing at left back in the first half, had shown a delicate first touch and when the twinkle-toed Brazilian took over there was only going to be one end result.
Neymar rounded Roma keeper Wojciech Szczesny after the Arsenal loanee had gone to ground and Barca had their opener.
With the score still at 2-0 on the hour Barca coach Luis Enrique made a raft of changes and Manchester United target Pedro was one of seven players to come on.
This was potentially his last Nou Camp appearance in a Blaugrana shirt but there was no sign of any special treatment.
He was left out of the starting line-up and only came on as Suarez, Messi and Neymar came off reaffirming his second-class status in Barca's forward line.
There were some chants of his name when he was presented to the crowd along with the rest of the squad before the game started but there was no smile from the former youth team player who will leave having served the club for a decade if as expected he completes his move next week after Barcelona's European Super Cup final against Sevilla.
He didn't take long to get involved tricking his way down the left and drilling a cross into Roma's six-yard box.
That provoked more chants of his name but it seems to be Pedro's fate at Barca to always be in the shadow of another player and within seconds the homage was drowned out by cheers as Ivan Rakitic hammered in the third with a shot from all of 30 yards.
Despite running out comfortable winners in what was the 50th Gamper Trophy - Barcelona's traditional friendly curtain raiser in honour of the club's founder - there was a price to pay with Neymar finishing the game with ice on his knee and left back Jordi Alba hobbling down the tunnel with what appeared to be a hamstring problem having come on at half-time.
