Barca, Atletico stumble; Getafe’s continues good show

MADRID: Barcelona and Atletico Madrid dropped their first points of the season on Saturday, missing the chance to equal the record for the best-ever La Liga start.
Champions Barca, who visits AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, were held 0-0 at Osasuna. It was the first time they failed to score in a domestic league game in 65 matches since a 0-0 draw at Villarreal in January 2012.
Atletico also lost 1-0 at Espanyol as Real Madrid’s record nine straight wins to kick off the 1968-69 campaign remained intact.
Getafe eased past 10-man Granada 2-0 on Sunday to match a club record with a fourth consecutive win that kept the Madrid side close to the top four in the Spanish league.
Third-placed Real Madird won 2-0 at home to Malaga, Carlo Ancelotti’s side closing within three points of leaders Barca ahead of next week’s ‘Clasico’ at the Nou Camp and two points shy of Atletico.
Real won thanks to a goal from Angel Di Maria and a stoppage-time Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, won by world record signing Gareth Bale who was a late substitute.
Barca were unable to breach a well-drilled Osasuna defense in Pamplona and Atletico were thwarted by an Espanyol side who have made a strong start to the season under Mexican coach Javier Aguirre.
The only goal of the game at Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat stadium in Barcelona came in the 54th minute when the ball deflected into the net off the outstretched leg of Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Argentine Lionel Messi, who had not played since the end of last month due to a thigh strain, came off the bench for the final 25 minutes of Barca’s game but not even the World Player of the Year could conjure a goal for the champions.
“We knew it was going to be tough,” said captain Carles Puyol after making his first appearance in almost eight months following knee surgery.
“It’s always difficult playing at this stadium,” the 35-year-old told Canal Plus.
“We were missing some effectiveness in the final pass but it’s one more point. Now we have to recover from this and prepare well for Tuesday.” Real Sociedad, who will chase a first victory in their third Champions League Group A outing at Manchester United on Wednesday, won in La Liga for the first time since the opening day of the season as they beat Valencia 2-1.
Antoine Griezmann volleyed the visitors ahead in the 41st minute and Ruben Pardo added a long-range effort before Dorlan Pabon pulled a late goal back for Valencia as Sociedad climbed to ninth on 10 points.
Valencia, who host St. Gallen in the Europa League on Thursday, are eighth with 13 points, one fewer than Espanyol who climbed to fifth.