Coutinho in dreamland at Barcelona
BARCELONA welcomed new signing Philippe Coutinho with a 3-0 win over Levante at the Nou Camp to restore their nine-point lead at the top of LaLiga, before Real Madrid lost more ground after a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo.
Brazilian Coutinho will complete the formalities of his £142million transfer from Liverpool on Monday, but it remained business as usual for Ernesto Valverde’s men yesterday afternoon before their new recruit was paraded for an official photocall.
Lionel Messi marked his 400th LaLiga appearance with an early goal after 12 minutes, drilling an angled effort in off the post.
It saw the Argentina playmaker equal the record of German forward Gerd Muller for goals in a single league across Europe’s leading five top-flight competitions.
In-form Luis Suarez, who himself left Anfield for Barcelona during the summer of 2014, added a second before the break and Paulinho tapped in a late third.
The Blaugrana consolidated their position ahead of Atletico Madrid, who had beaten Getafe on Saturday.
Fourth-placed Real, meanwhile, now trail their bitter rivals by 16 points, albeit with a match in hand, after Maxi Gomez headed a late equaliser at Balaidos.
Wales forward Gareth Bale, fit again following a calf problem, had scored twice in as many first-half minutes to seemingly put Real on course for victory after the hosts had taken the lead through a fine chip by Daniel Wass.
Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas saved a second-half penalty from Iago Aspas before, with only eight minutes left, Gomez nodded in a deserved equaliser.
There was still time for Cristiano Ronaldo to lash an angled drive into the side-netting - and for Aspas to see what looked a strong shout for another penalty waved away after a clumsy challenge by Marcelo.
Earlier on Sunday, Gabriel Pires scored a second-half winner as Leganes overcame Real Sociedad 1-0.
Pires struck from a Javier Eraso free-kick with 15 minutes remaining to secure all three points for the hosts at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque.
The victory moved Leganes above Sociedad and up to ninth in the table.