Lionel Messi scored all four goals as Barcelona moved into the Champions League semi-finals by beating Arsenal 4-1 to seal a 6-3 aggregate win.
The Argentinean magician inspired the defending champions to fight back from going a goal down early on in the quarter-final second leg to set up a meeting with Inter Milan in the last four.
Nicklas Bendtner had given Arsenal hope of pulling off a famous victory by opening the scoring, but the Gunners were in front for only two minutes before Messi lashed home the first of his three first-half goals.
Arsenal's misery was complete two minutes from time, when Messi capped a sublime performance with his fourth of the evening.
Xavi and Messi both failed to hit the target with early half-chances before the Gunners grabbed a shock lead in the 19th minute.
Theo Walcott was put clear by Abou Diaby down the right, and he dashed into the Barca penalty area before laying off a sloppy square pass to Nicklas Bendtner.
The Dane still managed to force Victor Valdes into a good reaction save, but Bendtner was quick to stab the rebound into the net and put Arsenal ahead in the tie for the first time.
The Gunners then wasted another chance of a breakaway, when Diaby pushed the ball left to Bendtner when Walcott was in acres of space on the right.
It proved a costly error as Barcelona went up the other end to equalise on 21 minutes.
Neither Mikael Silvestre nor Thomas Vermaelen could clear a ball on the edge of the penalty area and succeeded only in presenting possession to Messi, who unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top right corner.
Arsenal were again punished by Messi for some poor defending as Barcelona went 2-1 ahead on 37 minutes.
Eric Abidal crossed the ball low into the box from the left, which was cut out by Vermaelen. However, his team-mates were slow to react as Pedro knocked the loose ball out to Messi - and he steamed forward before lifting the ball over the on-rushing Almunia.
Messi then completed a stunning hat-trick four minutes before the break when he latched onto a flick from Abidal to race clear of the Gunners backline. The Argentina forward drew Almunia off his line before dispatching a brilliant chip over the Arsenal keeper.
Barcelona took their foot off the gas in the second half, possibly with Saturday's huge clash with Real Madrid in mind, but Messi and Pedro both came close to adding to their lead before Messi completed the rout in the 88th minute, slipping through Almunia's legs after the Gunners keeper had kept out the Argentine's initial effort.
Despite being well beaten, defeat was no disgrace for the Gunners, who can now focus on their Premier League title bid.
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