Bayern Munich cruised into their third Champions League final in four years as a 3-0 win over Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday gave them an incredible 7-0 aggregate semi-final victory.

The absence of Lionel Messi from the Barca starting line-up almost eradicated any hope of an unlikely comeback before the game had even begun, but Bayern showed their 4-0 first-leg win last week had been no fluke with a display of controlled dominance.

Rafael Nadal extended his record number of Barcelona titles to eight as he brushed off a slow start to beat Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.

Last weekend's Monte Carlo runner-up regained his accustomed position on an ATP winner's podium with his fourth title of 2013 and his third on clay for the year.

Barcelona's assistant coach Jordi Roura has admitted his side need a miracle at the Camp Nou in the return leg after being hammered 4-0 at Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final, first leg.

Bayern are on the verge of their third Champions League final in four years after goals by German duo attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller, striker Mario Gomez and Dutch wing Arjen Robben floored Barca at Munich's Allianz Arena on Tuesday.

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, who has been undergoing cancer treatment in New York since January, arrived back in Spain on Tuesday, the Catalan giants announced.

"Tito is in Barcelona," the Spanish league leaders said on their website fcbarcelona.com, adding that he would ease himself gradually back into running the side.

Xavi Hernandez, Lionel Messi and Cristian Tello steered La Liga leaders Barcelona to a 3-1 win at Valladolid on Saturday giving stricken coach Tito Vilanova a timely boost in his battle against cancer.

Vilanova left hospital earlier in the day, 48 hours after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor in his saliva gland.

Catalan leader Artur Mas scrambled for allies to govern Monday after a snap election slashed his majority, hobbling his campaign for nationhood and a split from Spain.

Mas' decision to call the vote two years early looked like a gamble gone horribly wrong after voters turned out in massive numbers to trim his majority, not to boost it.

Catalonia's leader Artur Mas says the powerful region's economy can stand tall in Europe without Spain. But could Spain survive without Catalonia?

The prospect of an independent Catalonia of 7.5 million people lying to the northeast of Spain seems distant with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government vowing to block any referendum.

Whipped up in a pro-independence fervor, millions of Catalans vote Sunday in a snap election that could result in a redrawing of the map of Spain.

Artur Mas, president of the northeastern region, is promising a referendum on self-determination if the vote goes his way.

Barcelona gave coach Pep Guardiola the perfect send off, beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on Friday to win the Spanish Cup on the coach's last match in charge after a memorable four seasons in the Catalan hot seat,

Lionel Messi, with his 73rd of the season, and a Pedro Rodriguez double got the goals inside the first half an hour to finish off the Basque side and deliver Guardiola his 14th and final trophy at the club.

Manuel Neuer was the hero for Bayern Munich on Wednesday as his side went through to the Champions League final after beating RealMadrid 3-1 on penalties in the Santiago Bernabeu.

They will face Chelsea in their own Allianz Arena in Munich on May 19th after losing their return leg 2-1 after extra-time, to send the tie into penalties with the Germans having won by the same score in the first game.