Robert Lewandowski’s Barcelona debut resulted in a goalless dwelling draw towards Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou of their first La Liga recreation of the season.
It was a disappointing evening for Barca whose followers confirmed up at an virtually sold-out stadium to see their new workforce headlined by the Poland striker Lewandowski, the twice the Fifa Participant of the Yr, and the Brazil winger Raphinha.
Barcelona dominated the match with virtually 70% of possession and 18 purpose makes an attempt towards two for Rayo. However the two greatest probabilities fell to the guests, Álvaro García thwarted by a superb save by Marc Andre ter Stegen and Sergio Camello capturing extensive. Because the frustration mounted for Barça, their captain, Sergio Busquets, misplaced his cool and was despatched off for an elbow to the face of Radamel Falcao in stoppage time.
In Italy, the champions Milan turned an early one-goal deficit right into a 4-2 win over Udinese at San Siro, making certain a profitable begin to their marketing campaign in an electrifying Serie A opener.
Two objectives by Croatia worldwide Ante Rebic plus strikes by Theo Hernandez and Brahim Díaz helped the Rossoneri to recuperate from their early shock after Udinese defender Rodrigo Becão put the guests forward 90 seconds into the sport.
The Brazil defender, who nodded in a nook from a good angle, scored for the fifth time in Serie A at first of his third season in Italy.
“What didn’t we like? Certainly the truth that we conceded a purpose in such a short while, we’ve to begin video games higher,” the Milan coach, Stefano Pioli, stated. “Then we performed half an hour of nice soccer.”
Milan equalised within the eleventh minute by a penalty from Hernandez, after the referee pointed to the spot following a VAR assessment when captain Davide Calabria was fouled by Udinese defender Brandon Soppy.
4 minutes later Rebic made it 2-1 with a strong first-time shot, however Udinese defender Adam Masina levelled with a diving header to stun the house crowd simply earlier than half-time.
One minute into the second half midfielder Díaz once more put Milan forward after a mistake by the Udinese defence. Díaz rifled within the ball from shut vary after Hernandez despatched a cross into the field and it bounced off Masina. The purpose fired up Udinese, however Rebic smashed one other shot previous keeper Marco Silvestri into the highest left nook within the 68th minute to offer the hosts respiratory area and match his tally of two objectives in the entire of final season.
Neymar scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain thumped Montpellier 5-2 in Ligue 1 on the Parc des Princes whille 10-man Monaco needed to accept a house level towards Rennes.
Kylian Mbappé and debutant Renato Sanches have been additionally on course for PSG, who have been set on their method by an personal purpose by the Montpellier defender Falaye Sacko as the house aspect made it two wins from two at first of their title defence.
Mbappé had a penalty saved by a diving Jonas Omlin within the Montpellier purpose after a Jordan Ferri handball halfway by the primary half, but it surely proved a short lived reprieve for the guests.
Sacko conceded one other penalty after dealing with the ball within the field. Neymar stepped up for PSG and made no mistake with the spot-kick to offer his aspect a 2-0 half-time lead.
Neymar added a second quickly after the break, heading dwelling a rebound. Montpellier got hope when Khazri pulled a purpose again simply earlier than the hour-mark, however when Mbappé lastly acquired on the scoresheet 10 minutes later, that was the tip of the competition.
PSG prolonged their benefit by Sanches on his debut after his transfer from Lille. Enzo Tchato pulled one other purpose again for Montpellier with just about the final kick of the sport, but it surely was a snug victory for the house aspect.
Earlier, Monaco got here from behind to assert some extent in a 1-1 dwelling draw with Rennes, a match wherein they have been decreased to 10 males early on and missed a penalty. Youssouf Fofana was proven a straight crimson card inside quarter-hour for a stamp on Rennes’ Martin Terrier. Monaco received a primary half spot-kick that was missed by Axel Disasi as Rennes goalkeeper Steve Mandanda made the save.
Gaetan Laborde opened the scoring for Rennes early within the second interval, however a disastrous error from substitute goalkeeper Dogan Alemdar, on for Mandanda at half-time and who dallied on the ball to permit Breel Embolo to nick it from him and rating his first Monaco purpose, meant the factors have been shared.
