Messileads Barca to victory

Posted on 8 months ago

MADRID (Agencies): Real Madrid's stuttering start to La Liga continued when they lost 1-0 at Sevilla to slip eight points behind leaders Barcelona who were 4-1 victors at Getafe earlier on Saturday.
With only one win and a draw from their first three games, champions Real were under pressure to react after Lionel Messi came off the bench to score twice and help Barca maintain their 100 percent record.
Sevilla's Piotr Trochowski netted at a corner in the second minute and Real labored in their bid to equalize in a bruising and bad-tempered battle at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
Barca are top with 12 points from four games, two ahead of second-placed Malaga who were 3-1 winners at home to Levante. Sevilla rose to third on eight points and Real are 10th.
The scene was set in the opening minutes in Seville when Poland midfielder Trochowski arrived late and unmarked at a corner to hammer a volley into the roof of the net. Almost immediately there was a melee at the other end of the pitch as tackles flew in thick and fast and tempers flared. It was almost a miracle that both sides finished with 11 men.
Real, who host Manchester City in one of the most attractive of the Champions League openers on Tuesday, struggled to test experienced keeper Andres Palop while Cristiano Ronaldo had a quiet game.
Substitute Luka Modric had a shot tipped on to the post in the second half and Sergio Ramos headed over a gaping goal but as the game stretched out either side could have scored in a breathless finale.
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