Barca win, Madrid draw in first games of season

Reigning BBVA Primera Liga Champions, FC Barcelona kicked off their title defense with a scrappy and hard-fought win away to Athletic Club Bilbao on Sunday.

A Luis Suarez volley early in the second half, after Leo Messi had seen a first half penalty saved by Athletic goalkeeper, Gorka Iraizoz gave Barca the points against the side which had beaten them in the Supercup earlier in the week.

Athletic stated with five players out injured and would lose Mikel Balenziaga as well and also had players with tired legs following a European game on Thursday.

Barca would also lose players to injury with Dani Alves and Sergio Busquets forced out of the game, but despite Athletic pressing them hard for most of the game, Suarez's volley which came from a Jordi Alba cross, would prove decisive.

Real Madrid meanwhile could only draw 0-0 away to Sporting Gijon, who were promoted to the Primera Liga last season.

The pre-game saw a lamentable incident when some home fans threw rocks at the Real Madrid team coach but that didn't affect the Madrid players who had control for most of the game, but managed to waste all of the chances they created with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale the main culprits.

Sporting were unlucky to hit the crossbar through Sanabria after 48 minutes, but that was a rare attack for the Asturian side, who nevertheless produced a heroic defensive display with a side made up almost completely from the players who won promotion last campaign.

Real Madrid look solid and saw new signing Mateo Kovacic play his first minutes, but overall coach Rafa Benitez will be disappointed not to have kicked off with a win.

Sunday's other game saw Celta Vigo win 1-2 away to Celta Vigo (becoming the first team to score two goals in a game). Fabian Orellana and Iago Aspas were on his return to the club, while the match between Betis and Villarreal was a late kick off.

The first two days competition in the new season of Spain's BBVA Primera Liga had got off to a false start with just two goals scored in the first matches of the new campaign on Friday and Saturday.

While Atletico Madrid took a narrow 1-0 win over newly promoted Las Palmas thanks to a Antoine Griezmann free kick and Salva Sevilla's early opener gave Espanyol all three points against Getafe, the matches between Malaga and Sevilla, Deportivo la Coruna and Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano and Valencia all ended goal-less.

Valencia will point to a good display from Rayo keeper Tono as the reason they failed to take all three points from Vallecas, while although Deportivo had greater control in their home debut, Real Sociedad, whose former Elche striker, Jonathas was a real handful in attack, created the best chances.

Meanwhile Malaga were unlucky on Friday night when they saw what looked like a good goal at home to Sevilla ruled out for offside. Enditem