La Liga Matchday One: Barcelona, Atletico and Sevilla the early pacesetters

Life in La Liga didn't get off to the best of starts for Jose Mourinho. A trip to plucky Mallorca was never going to be an easy task, but after yet another summer of splashing the cash, and with a fair few weeks of preparation, you would have expected Real Madrid to pick up the three points. Nevertheless, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo were the main culprits, as Madrid wasted numerous chances, while Mallorca keeper Dudu Aouate put in an inspired shift. For me, Real Madrid still lack an identity, something which plagued them all last season. With the players they have at their disposal they will always get chances, plenty of them. But to overhaul Barcelona and the cream of European football they really need to find a style to call their own and stick to it. Luckily for them, Mourinho is a master in this art. Just look at what he did with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan. His teams may not have won many plaudits for entertainment over the years but they all had their way of playing, leading the special one to two Champions League trophies in six years. Don't expect any Pellegrini style witchhunts. Mourinho will be given plenty of time to sort this out.

Trouble is Barcelona may already be out of sight. They picked up just where they left off last season with a demolition job on Racing Santander, orchestrated by the irresistible front three of Iniesta, Messi and debutant David Villa. All three got on the scoresheet, with Andres Iniestas goal a sublime first-time volleyed effort from well outside the area. Elsewhere, there were convincing wins for Sevilla and Valencia, as the usual suspects failed to disappoint on the opening day of the season. Out of the three new kids on the block, only Real Sociedad chalked up three points with a noteworthy victory over perennial slow starters Villarreal, while Levante and Hercules will have to wait until next week for their second chance to get precious early points on the board.

Racing Santander 0 - 3 Barcelona

(0-1) 4' Messi, (0-2) 33' Iniesta, (0-3) 62' Villa

Just check out Iniestas piece of magic. Out of this world. Leo Messi already gets his Pichichi 2010/2011 campaign off and running with a delightful chipped effort, while Victor Valdes began his hunt for the Zamora in fine fettle after repelling Tchites penalty. Barcelona already into their glorious stride and David Villa finds the back of the net on his league debut. Racing coach Miguel Portugal reckons they are even stronger than last season. Ominous.

Mallorca 0 - 0 Real Madrid

Not the start Jose Mourinho was looking for. Real Madrid created a wealth of chances, but with Higuain in misfiring mood and Mallorcas defence/keeper on fire, a 0-0 draw was inevitable. Things got worse for Mourinho when Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out for 2/3 weeks after the match was a muscle strain. Queit debut for Canales, while Carvalho looked solid and Özil more than useful when he joined the party late on.

Levante 1 - 4 Sevilla

(1-0) 10' Ruben Suarez (p), (1-1) 12' Konko, (1-2) 28' Negredo (p), (1-3) 62' Konko, (1-4) 87' Renato

Sevillas post Spanish Supercup/Champions League elimination hangover looked to have dragged over to La Liga when Levante took an early lead, but well taken goals from unlikely source Konko, and a penalty from Negredo got the Sevillanos back on track. Levante early candidates for bottom place on this showing.

Espanyol 3 - 1 Getafe

(1-0) 33' Osvaldo, (2-0) 54' Osvaldo, (2-1) 61' Galan (o.g), (3-1) 94' Datolo

Espanyol, spurred on by their victory in the Trofeo Ramon Carranza, hit the ground running with red hot striker Osvaldo blasting two in a convincing win over a dissapointing Getafe. Life could be difficult for the Madrileños without Pedro Leon and Roberto Soldado.

Deportivo La Coruña 0 - 0 Real Zaragoza

Real Zaragoza did more than enough to put Depor to the sword in a drab match, but a combination of slack forward play and a quite incredible miss from new boy Marco Perez (see video!) meant Los Maños left with only a point. Could be a long season for Depor on this evidence.

Osasuna 0 - 0 Almería

This match was never going to set the world alight but a goal would have been nice. Neither team attacked, neither team looked like scoring. Both teams seemed happy to finish the match with a point. You won't see many goals from Almeria or Osasuna this season.

Real Sociedad 1 - 0 Villarreal

(1-0) 57' Xabi Prieto

Real Sociedad coach Martin Lasarte opted to go for local youth for their first tie back in the big time and it worked wonders. Carlos Martinez and Xabi Prieto put in quality performances with the latter grabbing the all important goal that got the team from San Sebastian off to a winning start. Villarreal were just dismal. Will we see a repeat of their infamous start to 2009/2010?

Malaga 1 - 3 Valencia

(0-1) 9' Aduriz, (1-1) 44' Sebas Fernandez, (1-2) 70' Joaquin, (1-3) 74' Joaquin

There are many, myself included, that thought Valencia would struggle badly this season after losing Villa and Silva. Yesterday proved us wrong. For the time being at least. As long as Joaquin continues to produce match-winning cameos and Aritz Aduriz keeps banging them in, they'll be fine. Staying tight at the back will be vital. Does Cesar have another cracking season in him?

Hercules 0 - 1 Athletic Bilbao

(0-1) 46' Llorente

Hercules found out the hard way. Missed chances and a failure to capitalise on incessant pressure will be punished, especially when big Fernando Llorente is around. The World Cup winner stooped to head in a 46th minute winner to get his team out of a tricky situation against a lively home side who faded badly as the second half wore on.

Atletico Madrid  4 - 0 Sporting Gijon
(1-0) 11' Jurado, (2-0)  40' Forlan, (3-0) 62' Forlan, (4-0) 93' Simao

A breathtaking performance from Atletico. Jurado waved goodbye to the Vicente Calderon with a goal and a dazzling display, with Diego Forlan continuing his scoring form from the World Cup. Even the much-maligned Tomas Ujfalusi chipped in with a marauding display down the right that will give young left back Canella nightmares for weeks to come. Simaos late goal was an absolute beauty. European Supercup winners and top of the league. Not a bad week for Quiques men. 

Europa League Groups 2010/2011 - Sevilla and Getafe handed tough groups

As if getting knocked out of the Champions League before the group draw was even made wasn't bad enough, Sevilla were dealt another blow as the Europe League 2010/2011 draw placed them in a group with PSG, Borussia Dortmund and Ukranian outfit Karpaty Lviv. Certainly not plain sailing. Atletico Madrid, fresh from putting reigning Champions League winner Inter Milan to the sword in the UEFA Supercup in Monaco, were drawn with Bayern Leverkusen, Rosenburg and Thessalonika, and having held on to World Cup hero Diego Forlan and Sergio Agüero over the summer they'll surely fancy their chances of progressing to the knock out stages as they look to retain the trophy they won in May against Fulham.

The other two Liga sides in the draw, Getafe and Villarreal, had mixed fortunes. Getafe were drawn in a beast of a group with Stuttgart favorites to go through as group winners, whilst Villarreal will see themselves as the big guns in their group. Games will be played on 16 and 30 September, 22 October, 4 November, 1/2 and 15/16 December as the Europa League reverts its format to a more Champions League type of affair, as the top two go through. Looking at some of those groups, this Europe League promises to be entertaining: Man City v Juventus the pick of the ties. Prediction: Villarreal, Sevilla and Atletico to go through. Getafe to finish an antagonising third.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUPS 2010/2011 - Real Madrid drawn in group of death

Here you have the Champions League draw which gave us the groups for the 2010/2011 edition of the most glamourous competition in world football. Three Liga teams were in the draw and whilst Barcelona will be relatively happy with the three teams they've been pitched against, although it does include another tough trip out to Rubin Kazan once more, Valencia and even more so, Real Madrid, will be feeling a little hard done by. Valencia face tricky ties against Manchester United and Turkish unknowns Bursaspor, while Real Madrid will have to negotiate their way out of a group containing AC Milan, Ajax and Auxerre. Quite a few European trophies out of that lot. Mourinhos baptism of fire. My prediction: All three to make it to the knock-out stages.