Barcelona star Luis Suarez may face a suspension as a result of being accused of provoking Espanyol players in the tunnel after his side's Copa del Rey win.

HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona v Espanyol

A brace from Lionel Messi and goals from Gerard Pique and Neymar saw Barca to a 4-1 victory in the round of 16 first leg match. The rivalry threatened to boil over in the second half, with Hernan Perez and Pape Diop sent off as Espanyol was reduced to nine men.

In the official referee's report, Suarez is accused of provoking a confrontation between players from both clubs in the tunnel.

The Uruguay frontman is no stranger to on-field controversies. He was infamously cited for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chielini at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the third such incident of its kind. Suarez was first banned for biting by the Dutch Football Association when he was an Ajax player, sitting out seven games for an offence committed against PSV's Otman Bakkal.

In 2013, while playing for Liverpool, he was banned for 10 games after biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. Prior to that incident, he'd already been found guilty in 2011 by an independent regulatory commission for racially abusing Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra.

That cost him an eight-match ban in from Premier League and £40,000 ($83,000).

Suarez has largely stayed out of trouble since joining Barcelona, and has let his football do the talking, forming a lethal strike unit with Lionel Messi and Neymar that has the club ticking nicely in all competitions.

He played a full game in the derby clash, during which Espanyol took the lead through Felipe Caicedo.

The second leg of the tie will be played on 13 January.