Heading into a vital Champions League clash with Barcelona next week, Antonio Conte’s charges produced a clinical performance on home soil that also saw Olivier Giroud open his account for the club
Browsing: Barcelona
Philippe Coutinho came close with a long range effort, which was tipped wide by Vicente Guaita, with the Getafe goalkeeper also blocking a Yerry Mina header and a late effort from Luis Suarez
Coutinho, who joined Barca from Liverpool for a club record 142 million pounds ($197.66 million) in January, had been on the pitch less than three minutes when he scored
Barcelona, the record 29-time winners of the tournament, are attempting to become the first team to lift the cup four years in a row since Athletic Bilbao in the 1930s
Ozil’s previous deal had been due to expire at the end of the season, with the likes of Manchester United, Barcelona and Juventus credited with an interest in the Germany international
But those individual deals were eclipsed by Brazilian forward Neymar’s move from FC Barcelona to Paris St Germain in a world-record transfer worth 222 million euros (£195.4 million)
Early goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi calmed the nerves at the Nou Camp on Thursday
Coutinho, who has been handed the number 14 shirt vacated by China-bound Javier Mascherano, had been sidelined by a thigh injury since his drawn-out transfer saga came to an end on January 6
The move was confirmed following an announcement from the Argentine’s previous employers that Mascherano was leaving Spain after more than seven years
“We knew this day would come, we tried to delay it as much as possible but it couldn’t be today,” said Sergio Busquets after the match
In an annual report published on Tuesday, UEFA, in the European Club Football Landscape report, said revenues among Europe’s 700-odd top-flight clubs totalled 18.5 billion euros (£16.5 billion) for 2016
The 25-year old player has described his £145 million move a “dream come true”
The Brazilian playmaker drew a line under a transfer saga that first started in the summer transfer window on Saturday after Liverpool and Barcelona agreed the second-biggest transfer fee in history
He played in a Champions League final, earned millions in a seven-year Premier League career, slept in a palatial home and drove expensive cars
The victory also takes Barcelona nine points clear at the top of the table and a full 14 above defending champions, Real Madrid, whose title defence appears to be in tatters heading into the winter break
Barca lead the Liga standings on 42 points, six ahead of Atletico Madrid in second and eight in front of third-placed Valencia
Los Blancos have now become the joint-most successful team in the history of the competition alongside El Clasico rivals Barcelona
The vital goal in the 81st minute, moments after replacing Karim Benzema, propelled Madrid into the final billed for Saturday, giving them an opportunity to win the cup for the third time and match the tournament record of their Spanish rival, Barcelona
The Citizens had a few half-chances early on as Aguero shot into the side-netting and Lukasz Fabianski saved from Fernandinho, but they were nearly caught out by a Swansea suckerpunch on 10 minutes
Real Madrid are in the United Arab Emirates looking to make history as the first side to defend the Club World Cup and pull level with bitter rivals Barcelona on three trophy wins