La Liga champions beat racing 3-0 in opener; mallorca hold Mourinho's Madrid
La Liga champions beat racing 3-0 in opener; mallorca hold mourinho's MadridSpain World Cup star David Villa scored a fine debut goal as Spanish champions Barcelona began their title defence with a resounding 3-0 win at Racing Santander last night.
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| Real Madrid's Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo is disappointed during their La Liga match against Mallorca |
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid career began on a low note with a disappointing 0-0 draw at Real Mallorca that did little to suggest his team can dethrone current champions Barcelona.
Villa (28) was the big summer signing, costing Barcelona 40 million euros from Valencia, and the forward showed why with a well-placed header on the hour for his first league goal in Barca's colours.
Argentine Lionel Messi had opened the scoring on three minutes with a neat chip for his 131st club goal to surpass Brazilian great Rivaldo in Barca's goalscoring hall of fame. Andres Iniesta, scorer of Spain's winning goal in the FIFA World Cup final, scored a sublime second with a side-footed volley before international teammate Villa struck.
Messi, recovering from a disappointing World Cup with Argentina, scored 34 league goals last season and continued where he left off, racing onto a fine pass from Iniesta before coolly chipping over the 'keeper with his right foot.
Messi scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 drubbing of Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup final and the Racing goal means he has more goals for Barcelona than legends Samuel Eto'o and Rivaldo at the age of 23.
Iniesta took centre stage on 33 minutes, showing great technique to convert a volley from distance with goalkeeper Tono helpless after coming out to punch clear.
Later on the night, Real Madrid Mourinho gave five players their Real debuts in his first match at the helm but they could not break down a resolute Mallorca side managed by Real old boy Michael Laudrup.
Real scored 102 goals last season under Manuel Pellegrini but they could not muster one for Mourinho in his managerial bow, with Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain missing three good chances.
"It is important to defend well and score when you are not at your best and we are far from our best," explained Mourinho.
Results Deportivo 0-0 Zaragoza
Espanyol 3-1 Getafe
Osasuna 0-0 Almeria
Real Sociedad 1-0 Villarreal
Racing 0-3 Barcelona
Mallorca 0-0 Real Madrid
