Star-studded champions Barcelona slumped to an embarrassing 2-0 home defeat at the hands of minnows Hercules on Saturday, while Jose Mourinho savored his first win in charge of Real Madrid.
Paraguayan forward Nelson Haedo Valdez, signed from Borussia Dortmund, had a day to treasure, scoring his first Hercules goal on 26 minutes and then another on 58 minutes as Barcelona crashed to a shock defeat against a side who have returned to the top flight after a 13-year absence.
Barcelona went the whole season unbeaten at home in the last campaign and this was their first home defeat in the league since May 23 last year, when they lost to Osasuna having already won the title.
PHOTO: AFP
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, who must pick his side up for tomorrow’s Champions League opener against Panathinaikos at the Camp Nou, refused to make excuses for the Hercules setback.
“There have always been international breaks and we didn’t fail to win because of that,” Guardiola said. “I see how the players work every day and I don’t have any doubts about this team.”
Guardiola handed a league debut to Argentine Javier Mascherano, his new signing from Liverpool, and rested Spanish World Cup winners Xavi, Sergi Busquets and Pedro Rodriguez. Despite Barcelona dominating, it was underdogs Hercules who struck first with a well-worked set-piece.
Roysten Drenthe, on loan from Real Madrid, floated in a free-kick which Barcelona defended poorly and Valdez was allowed to bundle the ball home.
At halftime, Barcelona trailed 1-0 to the dismay of the home fans and Guardiola responded with a double substitution, with Xavi on for debutant Mascherano and Pedro replacing Bojan.
An equalizer looked on the cards, but close to the hour mark Tiago Gomes did well down right and found Valdez, who fired into the top corner for a second Hercules goal.
Real boss Mourinho had Portuguese compatriot Ricardo Carvalho to thank for scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 win over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 32-year-old Carvalho scored his first goal in Madrid colors on 48 minutes to ensure a winning home debut for Mourinho following a disappointing 0-0 draw at Real Mallorca on the opening day of the campaign.
Carvalho, who has played for Mourinho at FC Porto, Chelsea and now Real, had a simple tap-in for the winning goal after being set up by Cristiano Ronaldo.
“The Barcelona defeat is a surprise, but it is part of football and the important thing was that we won,” Ronaldo said. “We didn’t play fantastically well, but at this stage winning is the crucial thing.”
The victory took Real a point above champions Barcelona into third, with neighbors Atletico Madrid topping the table following a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao.
Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan, voted the best player at the World Cup, scored on 10 minutes for his third goal of the season, before Tiago added a late second.
Valencia are also on a perfect six points in second spot after defeating Racing Santander 1-0 at home on Saturday.
Mourinho made four changes to the starting lineup against Mallorca, handing first league starts to Germany internationals Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira.
Ronaldo was expected to be out for another fortnight with an ankle injury, but the Portuguese winger made a miraculous recovery to start.
Ronaldo had the first real opening of the match on 20 minutes, latching on to a pass from the lively Ozil, but his low shot was well saved.
A flat goalless first half saw jeers at the halftime whistle from the unhappy home fans, but three minutes after the break, Real gave Mourinho his first goal as coach.
Karim Benzema crossed for Ronaldo, who looked certain to score, but goalkeeper Ricardo blocked well. Ronaldo reacted quickly, however, to poke the ball to Carvalho for an easy tap-in.
The goal repaid Mourinho’s faith in Carvalho, who he signed for Chelsea in 2004 before recruiting him for Madrid this summer.
Real stepped it up after the break and Higuain was denied by Ricardo on 65 minutes, before Ozil went close with a clever chip 60 seconds later.
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