“The tie is not finished yet but we have the advantage of three goals,” he said. “Now we have to prepare for the return encounter.”

Barca raced into a 3-0 lead by half-time at the Nou Camp on Wednesday, but were pegged back by two goals in as many minutes by Getafe just before the hour mark.

If the scoreline had stayed that way then Getafe, who have lost just once in the league at home this season and conceded only six goals, would have fancied their chances of advancing in the second leg.

However, goals from Barca strikers Eidur Gudjohnsen and Samuel Eto’o put the home side back in control and they will travel to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez next month with a three-goal advantage.

“Getafe did get back into it and that gave us a shock. But the team did well for the game to end with this scoreline,” Rijkaard added.

“I have to congratulate them because they did a great job.”

One of the big talking points to come out of the match was Barca’s second goal, which was scored by Leo Messi in the 28th minute.

Picking the ball up inside his own half, Messi beat four opposing players as he raced towards the Getafe penalty area, before rounding visiting goalkeeper Luis Garcia and rolling the ball into the net.

The goal has been immediately likened to Diego Maradona’s wonder strike against England in the 1986 World Cup, and Rijkaard called Messi’s effort “a work of art”.

“They (the two goals) are very similar, I think that Messi accelerated a little more,” the Dutchman added on his club’s website.

“Messi is a player with much talent and we cannot hide the comparisons with Maradona. But Messi is only interested in getting on the pitch and playing his matches.”

Messi said: “I am happy for what happened, but I am calm. It was very lovely and I thank God for it, but we need to continue forward.”