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Madrid, August 21 (IANS): FC Barcelona were pushed to their limits in a 2-0 victory over Cadiz during their inaugural league match at the Montjuic Stadium in Barcelona on Sunday night.
The fixture hinted at the challenges awaiting Barca this season, with their Camp Nou Stadium under reconstruction. The vast open areas in the stands and a muted ambiance were palpable, especially against a resilient Cadiz that not only defended stoutly but also created scoring opportunities, reports Xinhua.
Conan Ledesma's series of outstanding saves kept Cadiz competitive. However, he was rendered powerless when Pedri netted a goal in the 82nd minute. Ferran Torres added another during injury time, a goal that somewhat belied Barca's initial struggles.
Meanwhile, Betis and Atletico Madrid played out a goalless draw at the Benito Villamarin Stadium. Despite having the better chances, Betis' erratic finishing prevented them from registering a shot on target. Nonetheless, Isco's commendable midfield debut for the Seville-based club was the highlight.
Veteran forward Cristhian Stuani netted two after the break as Girona clinched a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Getafe at home. Yangel Herrera's 11th-minute goal meant Getafe couldn't resort to their delaying tactics as seen in their previous fixture against Barcelona. Stuani executed a volley in the 55th minute and capitalized on a goalkeeper's blunder shortly thereafter.
On Saturday, Jude Bellingham bagged a brace, enabling Real Madrid to overturn a deficit and secure a 3-1 win at Almeria. Almeria had initially taken the lead in the second minute courtesy of former Madrid prodigy, Sergio Arribas before Bellingham leveled in the 19th minute and hit a header from a Toni Kroos delivery. Vinicius Jr further extended the lead with a slightly deflected shot.
Real Sociedad were left ruing a last-minute goal as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo. Oscar Mingueza's 93rd-minute strike nullified Ander Barrenetxea's earlier header. Speculations abound about Celta's Rafa Benitez sidelining Gabri Veiga due to an impending transfer to Serie A club, Napoli.
Nico Williams was instrumental in both goals as Athletic Club Bilbao bounced back from their previous week's loss to Real Madrid, recording a 2-0 victory over Osasuna. Nico assisted his sibling, Inaki, for the opener and later facilitated Gorka Guruzeta's close-range finish. Bilbao's challenges compounded in the second half with Unai Simon's saves, a sending-off for Oihan Sancet, and a straight red shown to Osasuna's Chimy Avila in injury time.
On Friday, Gerard Moreno's close-range goal ensured Villarreal's 1-0 win over Mallorca. Concurrently, Pepelu's strike for Valencia underpinned Ruben Baraja's team's perfect start, marking a 1-0 win against the newly-promoted Las Palmas.
