FC Barcelona faced a tough challenge in their opening league match at Montjuic Stadium, scraping to a 2-0 victory against Cadiz on Sunday night.
The match shed light on the obstacles ahead for Barca this season due to the ongoing reconstruction of Camp Nou Stadium. The vast open stands and a subdued atmosphere were evident, particularly against a resilient Cadiz side that defended resolutely and created scoring opportunities, as reported by Xinhua.
Conan Ledesma’s exceptional saves kept Cadiz in the game. However, their resistance was broken when Pedri scored in the 82nd minute. Ferran Torres added another goal in injury time, masking Barca’s initial struggles.
Meanwhile, Betis and Atletico Madrid played to a goalless draw at Benito Villamarin Stadium. Despite having better chances, Betis struggled to find the target. Notably, Isco’s impressive midfield debut for Betis stood out.
Girona secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Getafe, with veteran forward Cristhian Stuani scoring twice in the second half. Yangel Herrera’s early goal prevented Getafe from employing their delaying tactics seen in their previous match against Barcelona. Stuani netted a volley in the 55th minute and capitalized on a goalkeeper’s mistake shortly after.
On Saturday, Jude Bellingham’s brace helped Real Madrid come from behind to defeat Almeria 3-1. Almeria initially took the lead through Sergio Arribas, but Bellingham equalized and scored a header from a Toni Kroos delivery. Vinicius Jr extended the lead with a deflected shot.
Real Sociedad settled for a 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo, as Oscar Mingueza’s late goal canceled out Ander Barrenetxea’s header. Speculation surrounded Celta’s decision to sideline Gabri Veiga due to a potential transfer to Napoli.
Nico Williams played a key role in Athletic Club Bilbao’s 2-0 win over Osasuna. He assisted his brother Inaki for the opener and set up Gorka Guruzeta’s close-range finish. The second half brought challenges for Bilbao, including Unai Simon’s saves, Oihan Sancet’s sending-off, and a straight red card for Osasuna’s Chimy Avila in injury time.
On Friday, Gerard Moreno’s close-range goal secured Villarreal’s 1-0 victory over Mallorca. Additionally, Pepelu’s strike led Valencia to a 1-0 win against newly-promoted Las Palmas, underlining Ruben Baraja’s team’s strong start.
-IANS
