Rate it!

11 votes

Barcelona hammered Sporting Gijon 6-1 in El Molinon to earn their first win of the Liga season and move into the top half of the table.

Pep Guardiola's side were on top from the start but it took 27 minutes to open the scoring, the incisive Andres Iniesta delivering an inch-perfect cross for the diving Xavi to head inside the far post.

Six minutes later it was two. Captain Carles Puyol rose to meet a Xavi corner and send it spinning towards the far top corner where Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o arrived to make sure with his own head.

Barcelona, who had previously suffered their worst start to a season for 35 years - a point from the opening two matches - under new coach Pep Guardiola, looked back to their best.

The fearsome feet of Lionel Messi and clever positioning of Iniesta backed up Eto'o while youngster Sergi Busquets, picked alongside Seydou Keita and Xavi in midfield, was involved in all manner of battles.

Shortly after the break Keita put pressure on Jorge Garcia at the near post from a Xavi corner and the centre-half put through his own net with his head.

The inspirational home fans were rewarded for their unequivocal support two minutes later when Francisco Maldonado smashed inside the near post after good work by lone striker Mate Bilic.

Sporting began to rampage forward but their efforts were thwarted when a poor clearance by goalkeeper Sergio Sanchez allowed Messi to speed through; Garcia's partner Gerard chose to bring him down and saw red.

The visitors then forced their opponents to chase. They next added to the scoreline via a delightful goal when Messi played a soft reverse pass through for Iniesta, who beat the advancing Sanchez with a delicate finish that crept over the line.

That was with 20 minutes remaining on the clock and home fears that there may be more to come were realised when Messi hit two more goals in the final five.

Substitute Eidur Gudjohnsen directed the fifth, shaping to shoot before slipping in the effervescent Iniesta down the left side of the box. He pulled back to the Argentina star, who slammed the ball home.

The final strike was similar, another replacement Bojan Krkic passing down the right side for the overlapping Xavi. His cross was higher and so Messi finished with his head.

The Sporting fans chanted throughout the final 10 minutes and deserved better than to see their side sitting at the bottom of the table with no points from three matches. Barcelona move up to ninth, a welcome relief for former fans' favourite Guardiola, already under pressure at the demanding Camp Nou.

Racing Santander 0-2 Real Madrid

Real Madrid beat Racing 2-0 at El Sardinero thanks to goals from Ruben de la Red and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Madrid rode their luck and were fortunate to keep a clean sheet: they emerged victorious after two second-half goals saw off a spirited challenge from the home side.

Ever dangerous on the break, Madrid countered to score the first on 54 minutes after somehow surviving a goalmouth scramble.

Argentine Gonzalo Higuain carried the ball from his own half to the penalty area before offloading inside to the arriving De la Red, a surprise inclusion by Bernd Schuster for the match.

He controlled and poked past Tono into the corner to stun the home fans, who had seen their side build pressure on a shaky away backline.

The introduction of Mohamed Tchite to provide a three-man attack almost gave Racing an equaliser when he rose unchallenged to head wide.

Four minutes later Van Nistelrooy held up the ball inside the corner of the box and waited for support before stepping inside and firing inside the post to double Madrid's advantage.

Substitute Rafael van der Vaart - who had replaced the injured Guti in the first period - cleared another Tchite header off the line following an Oscar Serrano corner and Madrid held on for the win.

They move sixth in the table behind city rivals Atletico on goal difference and one point behind leaders Valencia.

Valencia 1-0 Osasuna

A late goal from Juan Mata gave Valencia a 1-0 home win over 10-man Osasuna which put Los Che top.

The in-form 20-year-old volleyed home David Villa's deep cross just as it seemed the visitors might survive the sending off of Cesar Azpilicueta earlier in the second half.

Almeria 1-0 Malaga

Almeria beat promoted Malaga 1-0 at home to go second, also with seven points.

Alvaro Negredo hit the winner after 74 minutes before Miguel Angel was sent off on 80 minutes for Malaga.

Jose Ortiz then saw red for the home team with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Numancia 1-2 Villarreal

Villarreal are third after coming from behind to beat promoted Numancia 2-1 away from home.

Well-worked second-half goals from Santi Cazorla and Joseba Llorente made the difference after Gorka Brit had given Numancia the lead two minutes before the break with a header from an offside position at a free-kick.

It was a disappointing result for Numancia, who beat Barcelona 1-0 on the opening day and lost 4-3 to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last weekend.

Real Betis 0-0 Sevilla

Betis had their fans on their feet in the Seville derby with a stirring performance at the Ruiz de Lopera.

However the goalless draw means they have failed to beat their arch rivals in the last five league meetings between the sides.

Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Valladolid

Second-half goals from Fernando Llorente and Andoni Iraola - the latter a penalty - gave Athletic Bilbao a home win against Valladolid in the San Mames.

Deportivo La Coruna 0-0 Real Mallorca

The 10 men of Depor and Mallorca shared a goalless draw in the Riazor.

Omar Bravo was sent from the pitch after 59 minutes while David Navarro was given his marching orders after 77.

Jonathan Symcox / Reuters