Barcelona relentless, Madrid off the mark

FC Barcelona maintained their winning start to the season by overcoming Valencia CF 1-0, after Real Madrid CF had returned to form with a 3-0 victory against Granada CF.

Mauricio Pellegrino's side took to the Camp Nou turf bristling with intent, Roberto Soldado caressing an ambitious effort narrowly wide. The visitors were soon swamped, though, and succumbed to Barcelona's brilliance after 22 minutes when Adriano's venomous strike found the top corner. It was a game that Barça dominated but nonetheless never completely controlled, and they almost paid the price when Víctor Ruiz flashed an 88th-minute header over from close range.

With one point from Madrid's opening two games, an air of uncertainty gripped the Santiago Bernabéu until Cristiano Ronaldo squeezed the ball under Antonio Toño from an acute angle. The mercurial forward followed up his own strike to score his 150th goal for the club seven minutes into the second half, before Gonzalo Higuaín tapped in a third.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, ten-man Levante UD staged a passionate second-half rally to overcome RCD Espanyol 3-2, a Raúl Rodríguez own goal deciding the match in added time. Held to a draw by HJK Helsinki in midweek, Athletic Club recovered to ease past Real Valladolid CF 2-0, while the game between Rayo Vallecano de Madrid and Sevilla FC ended goalless.