Robert Lewandowski made a disappointing start for Barcelona on Saturday when Rayo Vallecano played out a 0-0 draw at Camp Nou in their Spanish league opener.
Lewandowski and his new teammates were well held out by Rayo, who proved dangerous at the break and were only stopped from scoring by Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s goalkeeping.
More than 81,000 fans flocked to watch the revamped Barcelona get some much-needed cash to sign Lewandowski and four other new players after club president Joan Laporta pledged the club’s future.
But the biggest applause heard from the crowd was with Barcelona showing their appreciation for their hustle on defense late in the match. The former Bayern Munich star was closest to scoring, having flicked a header well over the bar in the first half.
Barcelona finished with 10 men after Sergio Busquets received a second booking in stoppage time when he waved his hand in front of Rayo substitute Radamel Falcao. Falcao was then seen as a winner who was waived offside as Rayo moved closer to claiming a third consecutive win over Barcelona after he stunned the Catalan club twice last season.
embarrassment for united
Erik ten Haag’s poor start as Manchester United manager descended into an embarrassment as the Red Devils of the Premier League were lowered by a 4–0 loss by Brentford.
The former Ajax boss’s reign began last weekend with Brighton’s first win at Old Trafford, but it turned out to be even worse as Beez penalized a series of errors for scoring four times in the first 35 minutes.
Josh DeSilva’s strike slipped through David de Gea’s fist before Mathias Jensen bounced on United’s attempt to make it 2-0 inside 18 minutes from behind.
Ben Mee exposed the visitors’ weaknesses with a set-piece for his first Brentford goal and Brian Mbumo struck a surprise counter-attack 10 minutes before half-time to knock United down the table for the first time in 30 years.
Result: Premier League: Nottingham Forest 1 (Avonia 45+2) bt West Ham 0.
on Saturday: Brentford 4 (DeSilva 10, Jensen 18, m 30, Mbumo 35) bt Manchester United 0.
LaLiga:
on Saturday: Celta Vigo 2 (Aspas 45+2, Pacienca 63) drew with Espanyol 2 (Exposito 72, Joselu 90+7-pen); Real Valladolid 0 lost to Villarreal 3 (Jackson 49, Baena 81, 90); Barcelona 0 drew with Rayo Vallecano 0.
Serie A: On Saturday: AC Milan 4 (Hernandez 12-Pain, Rebic 15, 68, Diaz 46) BT Udinese 2 (Bicao 2, Massina 45+4); Sampdoria 0 lost to Atalanta 2 (Toloi 26, Lukman 90+4).