Barcelona start slow off the blocks

Draw with Santander leaves Barcelona with one point from two games

MADRID: Barcelona threw away two vital points in a 1-1 at home draw with Racing Santander on Saturday as the Spanish giants slumped to their worst league start in 35 years.

Argentine winger Lionel Messi converted a 70th-minute penalty, but Barca failed to take advantage with Jonathan Pereira equalising six minutes later to deny the hosts victory. One point from six is a woeful start for coach Pep Guardiola who will expect better when Barcelona start their Champions League campaign on Tuesday with a home match against Sporting Lisbon.

“I can’t criticise the players as I am very happy with their attitude,” said Guardiola. “Football is the only sport where you can win without having any real shots on goal. Our opponents (Numancia in the first game and Racing) have hardly threatened our goal but have still taken five points from us.”

Atletico Madrid are also in Champions League action on Tuesday at PSV Eindhoven - their first game in the competition since the 1996-97 season — but their preparations were spoiled by a 2-1 defeat at ten-man Valladolid. “We committed two errors that were avoidable and they led to two goals,” said Atletico coach Javier Aguirre. “It is a step backwards but we have to forget it and start from scratch again to focus on Tuesday’s match.”

Sevilla nudged Atletico from top spot after a superb 4-3 victory over Sporting Gijon in Saturday’s late game. Sporting went 2-0 up inside the first 20 minutes but Sevilla stormed back with quick-fire goals from Ernesto Chevanton (21min), Freddy Kanoute (36) and Enzo Maresca (37) putting the hosts in front.

The scoring did not end there with Mate Bilic converting a penalty close to half-time for his second goal as a thrilling goal-packed half ended 3-3.

Kanoute scored the only goal of the second half to push Sevilla to the league summit. “It was a crazy game but it is an important three points for us and that is what matters,” said Kanoute.

Guardiola was clearly unhappy with the opening 1-0 defeat by Numancia and showed he is not afraid to make big decisions by dropping Thierry Henry.

Bojan Krkic, Andres Iniesta and Messi all started on the substitutes bench - probably due to their international exertions - making way for the lesser known Sergi Busquets, 20, and 21-year-old striker Pedro ‘Pedrito’ Rodriguez.

Gerard Pique, recruited from Manchester United in the summer, also made his debut in defence. Substitute Messi — recently criticised by his hero Diego Maradona for being too greedy —  broke the deadlock with a spot-kick. However, Pereira restored parity deflecting in a drilled free-kick to prompt jeers at Camp Nou.

Atletico Madrid paid the price for the international break with Uruguayan Diego Forlan unavailable after arriving back late from the World Cup qualifiers.

Defender Jonny Heitinga was also injured on international duty with the Netherlands forcing Aguirre to ring the changes.

Valladolid took full advantage of the makeshift side scoring after just three minutes through Vivar Dorado. On 21 minutes Valladolid had Pedro Lopez sent off for two cautionable offences but the hosts still went two  goals up seven minutes later through a penalty.

Substitute Kun Aguero pulled one back but Valladolid bravely held on.