Kevin-Prince Boateng gave Milan the lead in controversial circumstances in the 57th minute. Cristian Zapata appeared to handle Riccardo Montolivo’s assist in the buildup.

Barcelona players protested but to no avail and Gerard Pique was booked in the process.

Sulley Muntari sealed the win nine minutes from time with a well-worked goal.

Milan contained Barcelona’s potent attack impressively, allowing it just two shots on target all match.

Lionel Messi, kept quiet by Milan, had two late chances from free kicks and sent both shots well over the crossbar.

The result was a massive boost to Milan’s turnaround from a dreadful start to the season. Massimiliano Allegri’s side was 15th in the Italian league after eight games but has risen to third.

It still went into the home match as a firm underdog against a Barcelona side which has lost only twice all season in the league and in Europe.

“I think it was a great game,” Allegri said. “The lads deserved this win. We didn’t concede anything in defence and we had several chances. But it wasn’t perfect, we were a bit lacking with the last ball in the first half but the team grew in the second. I think this is an important victory which will put us through. We could even have won 3-0, but I understand tiredness set in a bit.

“This is everyone’s win, the players who played, those who didn’t, the staff … everyone.”

It was Barcelona’s first loss by two goals since a 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in the Spanish Cup on Jan. 19, 2011.

“It was harder than usual for us to score,” Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said. “Milan was very organized, very strong in defence and that caused us a lot of problems. We were also playing on a pitch that wasn’t worthy of this competition. We controlled in the first half, we didn’t create chances but neither did they. Then their first goal really hurt us and it was then even harder.

“If there is a team that can come back it is us. This result isn’t disastrous. It’s really awful to lose 2-0, really bad. But I think this squad deserves faith. We are convinced we can progress, because we are playing at home (next month), because our fans will support us, and because we’re playing on our pitch, which is a pitch worthy of this competition.”

While the teams knew each other well having played each other four times last season, this was a much-changed Milan side after losing experienced players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thiago Silva, Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf in the off-season.

Milan was also without Mario Balotelli, who was cup tied, and Robinho, Mathieu Flamini, Antonio Nocerino, Daniele Bonera, Luca Antonini and Nigel De Jong, who were all injured.

However, it was the Italian side which had the better opportunities in the first half and almost scored in the fifth minute when Muntari’s speculative volley from outside the area sailed narrowly over the crossbar.

Stephen El Shaarawy had a chance when he cut inside the right side of the area but Barcelona captain Carles Puyol tackled him as he was about to unleash a shot. From the resulting corner Boateng curled an effort just past the far post. Giampaolo Pazzini was a whisker away from connecting with what would have been a header into an empty net.

El Shaarawy won a free kick 10 minutes after the break when he was brought down by Dani Alves. It was squared to Montolivo, whose effort appeared to be handled by Zapata as it fell to Boateng, who swivelled and fired it into the bottom right corner.

Milan doubled its lead in the 81st. Substitute M’Baye Niang’s cross was flicked on by El Shaarawy to Muntari, who found himself in acres of space to volley past Victor Valdes.

Barca almost scored a valuable away goal late on, but Puyol headed a corner just wide of the left upright much to the satisfaction of spectator Novak Djokovic, the tennis star who is a fervent Milan fan.

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Barca dominated possession for the first 25 minutes but was stunned when Odion Ighalo put the hosts ahead at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.

Messi tapped in a deserved equalizer five minutes into the second half, though, and then curled in a free kick 17 minutes from time to complete the turnaround and move Barca 15 points clear at the summit.

Barca assistant coach Jordi Roura, still overseeing first-team affairs with head coach Tito Vilanova undergoing cancer treatment in New York, shuffled his pack for the game, restoring Dani Alves, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas and Pedro Rodriguez to his lineup, with Xavi (thigh) and David Villa (ill) among those to miss out and Andres Iniesta only on the bench.

Granada was unchanged from the starting XI that won 3-0 at Deportivo La Coruna last weekend as it looked to continue its promising start — two wins in two games — under new coach Lucas Alcaraz.

Messi’s neat pass put Alexis Sanchez through on goal after four minutes, but Granada goalkeeper Tono was off his line quickly to smother the danger.

Former Barca B player Nolito had Granada’s first sight of goal three minutes later, with Victor Valdes gathering his side-footed volley at the second attempt.

Barca had a decent penalty shout waved away midway through the first half when Fabregas appeared to be clipped from behind by Gabriel Torje.

Alexis, who netted his first goal of the season in last weekend’s 6-1 thrashing of Getafe, was provided with another presentable chance by Messi but took too long and the threat was snuffed out by defender Diego Mainz.

Moments later, at the other end, the hosts showed their illustrious opponents how to apply the cutting edge in front of goal as they took a shock lead.

Carlos Aranda’s cross from the right was tapped back across goal by Nolito for Ighalo to stab home from close range — with Valdes and Barca defenders appealing in vain for offside.

The play soon switched back to Granada’s defensive third, where Adriano went within inches of finding an instant response. His superb effort with the outside of his left foot whistled just past the top corner.

Granada defender Guilherme Siqueira was lucky to be shown only a yellow card 12 minutes before halftime when he hauled Pedro to the ground as he looked to burst through.

Aranda should have made it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime after being gifted the ball on the edge of the Barca box by a sloppy defensive free kick by Thiago Alcantara, but Valdes made the save.

Just as it had done against Real Madrid a fortnight ago, Granada held the halftime lead. However, this time it lasted only five minutes into the second period.

Parity was restored when Messi pounced on the rebound to prod home after Tono could only parry a low Fabregas drive. It was the prolific Argentina forward’s 36th goal in La Liga this term — and meant he had scored in 14 straight games.

Alexis again pondered for too long on the ball when put through down the left by Fabregas, the Chilean getting the ball caught up in his feet as an unmarked Pedro cut a frustrated figure waiting for the cross.

That turned out to be Alexis’ last action as he was replaced by Cristian Tello.

Pedro went close to putting Barca ahead midway through the second half with a long-range blast that struck the inside of the left post and rebounded to safety with Tono beaten.

Seconds later, Barca had a goal correctly ruled out for offside. Tello threaded a pass through for Dani Alves, who crossed for Pedro to prod home but the flag was raised.

Iniesta was introduced in place of Pedro with 18 minutes remaining, and a minute later he was celebrating Messi’s second goal.

Thiago was fouled by Youssef El Arabi 25 yards from goal and the four-time Ballon d’Or winner stepped up to curl home a left-footed set-piece. Tono, diving to his right, got a hand to it but was unable to push it around the post.

Tello should have wrapped things up six minutes from time when he was on the end of a well-worked move, but lashed over the bar.

Granada substitute Yacine Brahimi was then denied a stoppage-time equalizer by Valdes after a slick one-two, and there was still time for Messi’s hat-trick attempt to be thwarted by Tono, but there were no further goals.

Also Saturday, a first half goal by Javier Saviola earned Malaga a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao to ensure it will remain fourth in the table by the end of the weekend.

Lucas Piazon, on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season, made his first start for Malaga and marked the occasion by providing the assist for the only goal of the game.

The 19-year-old used skill and strength to advance into the Athletic area and pulled a pass back from the by-line into the path of Saviola near the penalty spot and the striker shot high into the net after 18 minutes.

Celta Vigo remained in the relegation zone after suffering its third defeat in a row on the road with a 3-1 loss to Getafe.

All the goals came in a frantic first half. Adrian Colunga opened the scoring for the hosts after 10 minutes but Augusto Fernandez equalized just 10 minutes later, before Diego Castro and then Federico Fernandez added goals of their own before the break.

An early goal by Kike Sola saw Osasuna earn itself some much-needed breathing space from the relegation zone with a 10 win over rival Real Zaragoza.

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The German international said in an interview published on Madrid’s official website on Tuesday that clasicos were the biggest games in football, and players always looked forward to them.

“We will do everything we can to win,” Ozil said. “It is the best derby in the world and the whole planet will be following it. It is always something special for us. The players want to show what we can do and always play against the best. We want to reward our fans with a win against Barcelona.”

The game is the fourth meeting of the sides already this season, and two more clasicos are to come in the next few weeks. Ozil said memories of wins over Barca – such as the 2011 Copa del Rey final, last autumn’s Spanish Supercopa win or the La Liga victory at the Camp Nou last April – always stuck in his mind.

“The best moments are when you win trophies with the club,” he said. “That final against Barcelona, when we beat them in the Super Cup, or winning in La Liga, those stay in your memory for ever.”

Madrid’s team, especially at the back, will be below full-strength for the game. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, defenders Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao, and winger Angel Di Maria, are all missing through either injury or suspension.

Nevertheless, Ozil said that the aim is to win on Wednesday and take a lead into the second leg at the Camp Nou in three weeks time.

“Naturally we know Barcelona have a very strong team, with very good players, but we are concentrating on ourselves,” he said. “We are in good form and we are playing at home. Our aim is to win the match. We want to reach the final.”

By contrast Barca travel to Madrid with a full squad to choose from, with Copa keeper Jose Pinto the only likely change to their strongest XI.

The Catalan club’s assistant coach Jordi Roura insisted on Tuesday however that neither Madrid’s absentees, nor Barca’s 15 point advantage in the Primera Division standings, were necessarily an advantage for his side.

“Madrid, with the quality of its team and the big squad they have, will not be affected by the absences,” Roura said. “I expect a Madrid team that is intense and difficult for us. They will be the Madrid of always, a super-competitive team. For me, the circumstances will make Madrid even more dangerous. With players or missing or without, they have a good squad, they are a great team.”

Aware of how previous clasicos have boiled over regularly during Jose Mourinho’s time in charge at Madrid, Roura said he expected this “competitive” side of their rivals’ approach to stay within the laws of the game.

“Madrid always come out to play football,” he said. “Each team has their own style, with their own characteristics. Madrid with its style, Barca with its style, will play a great game. I do not expect a dirty Madrid. Anything else would be out of place.”

Roura, in charge as Barca boss Tito Vilanova remains in New York receiving medical treatment, said overseeing a clasico was not especially stressful.

“I am taking this calmly and naturally,” he said. “It is just one more game and I am not playing. It is these extraordinary players who will be doing that.”

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