Barcelona into World Club football Cup final

European champions Barcelona beat Mexican side Atlante 3-1 here on Wednesday to book their place in the World Club Cup final.

Guillermo Rojas shot Atlante into a fifth-minute lead with Sergio Busquets putting Barca back on level terms ten minutes from the break.

Lionel Messi put the Spanish giants ahead in the 55th minute with Pedro wrapping up the semi-final in the 67th minute in front of 41,000 fans at the Zayed Sports City stadium.

Barcelona meet Argentine side Estudiantes, who beat South Korea’s Pohang Steelers 2-1 in Tuesday’s semi-final, in Saturday’s final.

The World Club Cup is the only international honour missing from Barcelona’s well-stocked trophy cabinet after their previous attempt to win it, in 2006, ended in a 1-0 defeat to Brazilian side Internacional.

Victory in the tournament would crown a remarkable year for the current Spanish league leaders, who last season won the Champions League, Spanish league and King’s Cup to claim an unprecedented treble.