UPDATE 2-Soccer-Bojan strike gives Barcelona win over Schalke

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By Kevin Fylan

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany, April 1 (Reuters) - Barcelona struck early through teenager Bojan Krkic and survived a series of late scares to claim a 1-0 win over Schalke 04 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.

Barcelona, bidding for a second Champions League title in three seasons, took the lead when Thierry Henry's cross from the left set up the 17-year-old Bojan to divert the ball into the roof of the net.

The Catalans kept control in the first half but one goal seemed to be the extent of their ambition and they were almost made to pay.

Fabian Ernst and Halil Altintop saw shots slip just wide with the keeper beaten midway through the second half and Soren Larsen put a free header past the post as the Germans hurled players forward.

Marcelo Bordon brought a fingertip save from Victor Valdes in the dying seconds and Barcelona held on to take a valuable lead into the second leg at the Nou Camp on April 9.

The prize is a semi-final against Manchester United or AS Roma.

"If you saw the second half we had plenty of chances so you can't say that there is no point in going to Barcelona," Schalke coach Mirko Slomka said at a news conference. "We know it will be difficult but we're going to give it a shot."