Barcelona open title defence with emphatic Elche victory
Barcelona began their bid for a third successive LaLiga title with a commanding 5-0 victory at Elche on Sunday. Captain Raphinha opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute after being fouled by Víctor Chust, then added a second goal in the 67th minute. Karim Adeyemi marked his Barcelona and LaLiga debut by making it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, while Fermín López completed the rout with two further goals. Summer signing Anthony Gordon also made an immediate impact, providing assists for Raphinha and López after coming on as a substitute.
The result offered an emphatic early indication that Hansi Flick’s side remain equipped to defend their crown, even with several regular starters still building up their fitness after the World Cup. Barcelona’s pressing created the opening for Adeyemi, while their counter-attacking quality repeatedly exposed Elche after the interval. Raphinha’s performance was particularly significant as he operated as the central attacking reference and delivered three direct goal contributions. Elche enjoyed periods of possession but failed to register a shot on target in the first half, leaving Martín Anselmi’s promoted side with a difficult lesson from the champions’ first visit of the campaign.
Carlos Espí gives Mourinho winning Real Madrid return
José Mourinho’s second spell as Real Madrid head coach began with a 2-1 victory at Espanyol on Saturday. Jude Bellingham headed the visitors in front in the ninth minute from Arda Güler’s cross, but Álex Calatrava equalised on the half-hour after Javi Hernández delivered the ball into the area. The match appeared set to finish level until substitute Carlos Espí struck in the 90th minute. The 21-year-old pounced after Kylian Mbappé was knocked off the ball and fired past Marko Dmitrović, scoring just 10 minutes after entering the game.
Mourinho said Real deserved to win, although he also felt Espanyol did not deserve to lose, reflecting a contest that remained finely balanced deep into the second half. Bellingham had already threatened again after the interval, when Dmitrović tipped another header against the crossbar, before Real’s late pressure finally produced the decisive moment. Espí’s goal gave Madrid three points in Mourinho’s first league match back at the club after 13 years and provided an immediate contribution from a new signing reportedly recruited from Levante for €25 million. It also ensured the opening weekend ended with momentum rather than frustration for the returning coach.
Robbie Ure helps Sevilla maintain winning LaLiga start
Robbie Ure made his first LaLiga start for Sevilla on Saturday as Luis García Plaza’s side won 3-1 at Athletic Bilbao. The Scottish striker completed the full 90 minutes and played a key role in the opening goal, chasing down a passback and forcing goalkeeper Unai Simón into a hurried clearance. The ball fell to Oso, who rolled it into an empty net. Ure had already contributed from the bench in Sevilla’s previous match, winning a stoppage-time penalty in a 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano shortly after joining from Swedish club Sirius.
His latest display strengthened the impression that the former Rangers academy forward can influence matches without necessarily scoring himself. Ure’s pressure helped Sevilla exploit a defensive error early in the contest, while Athletic’s task became harder when Yuri Berchiche was sent off after 11 minutes for a last-man foul on Miguel Sierra. The victory gave Sevilla a second consecutive league win at the beginning of Ure’s Spanish adventure. His ability to lead the press and contribute physically will now be watched closely as he adapts to a more demanding level and competes for a regular place in García Plaza’s attack.