Barcelona 0 Gremio 3: Luan brace has Brazilians poised for Libertadores final

Luan scored twice as Gremio took a giant step towards the Copa Libertadores final with a 3-0 victory at Barcelona on Wednesday.

Capped by Brazil this year, star attacker Luan netted in either half away to Barcelona to put Gremio in control after the first leg.

Playing in front of a sea of yellow at the Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo in Guayaquil, two-time champions Gremio were not overawed by the vocal Ecuadorian crowd midweek.

Luan broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, side-footing past Barcelona goalkeeper Maximo Banguera, albeit with some help from a deflection, after drifting into the penalty area unmarked.

It got better for Gremio in the 21st minute when Edilson fired a low and powerful free-kick into the bottom corner of the net from distance.

Barcelona – runners-up in 1990 and 1998 – pushed forward in the second half and they almost reduced the deficit via Ariel Nahuelpan but Gremio keeper Marcelo Grohe produced a stunning save to preserve his side's two-goal advantage.

Luan then extended Gremio's lead in the 51st minute, coolly finishing from inside the area following Edilson's cutback.