Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona came from behind to beat Espanyol, who ended up with nine men in the Copa del Rey last 16 first leg.
Felipe Caicedo put the visitors ahead after good play by Marco Asensio.
Messi equalised and then put Barca ahead with a fantastic 30-yard, off-the-bar free-kick, before setting up Gerard Pique to slide in a third.
Espanyol had Hernan Perez sent off for two bookings and Pape Diop for dissent before Neymar hit a brilliant volley.
Neymar’s goal – which has probably sealed the tie – came after a fantastic one-two with Messi, who played a first-time pass over the defence for Neymar to smash home.
It is the second of three Barcelona derbies in 11 days, the clubs having drawn 0-0 in the league on Saturday. They meet again in the second leg next Wednesday.
Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal both made their debuts six months after joining Barcelona after the club were finally allowed to register them following a transfer ban.
Espanyol led for four minutes, but that was a distant memory by the time the final whistle went after a game which turned nasty at stages.
Goalkeeper Pau Lopez was lucky to escape a second yellow card when he appeared to stand on Messi’s shin, leaving the Argentine furious.
Perez then received his second yellow card – after his first for a nasty hack on Neymar from behind – for an off-the-ball tackle on Jordi Alba.
Three minutes later Diop was also dismissed. The midfielder, who had already been booked, was shown a straight red card for a comment which appeared to be aimed at Luis Suarez, rather than the referee.
Messi is overwhelming favourite to win the award for the world’s best player in next Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony and his performance in the Catalan derby showed just why he is considered the best.
He scored twice and assisted the other two goals. His first came when he latched onto an Andres Iniesta pass to fire home from around the penalty spot, and his magnificent second was his fourth free-kick goal of the season.
He gave Pique an easy chance to turn home Barca’s third and then set up Neymar’s final goal with an instinctive first-time aerial ball.
Turkey international Turan started the game and played in a midfield three. The £24m man forced a save from Pau Lopez with an effort at the keeper’s near post but was replaced midway through the second half by Ivan Rakitic.
Vidal came on at right-back for Dani Alves at the same time and joined Barca’s attack on several occasions, having an effort blocked for a corner.
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