First division, day 3

The Champions League took it's toll this week, with none of the four Spanish participants able to win. Barcelona fell to their first league defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to an Atlético Madrid side who ended with ten men after Pablo was sent off in the second half. Eto'o put Frank Rijkaard's side ahead early on after Giuly set him up, but Fernando Torres headed the equaliser from Petrov's cross a few minutes later and Kezman got the winner just two minutes after the restart.

Real Madrid were beaten 1-0 by Espanyol, their third defeat in just over a week. Once again the winning goal came in controversial circumstances, Jarque heading home De la Peña's free kick after the break but the Madrid players protesting to referee Rodríguez Santiago that he had blown his whistle for a foul before the ball entered the net. The "Galacticos" ended the game with nine men after Sergio Ramos and Baptista were sent off, and coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo is already under pressure.

Villarreal meanwhile could only manage a 1-1 draw at newly promoted Cádiz, and they ended the game down in the relegation spots. José María put Pellegrini's side ahead, but Oli headed an equaliser on the stroke of half time. And a Betis side fielding eight changes were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Zaragoza, who have now tied their first three games.

With only three days gone, nobody has managed to pick up maximum points in what is already looking like a hard season for the big name sides. Surprisingly the early leaders are Bernd Schuster's Getafe, who ran out 3-4 winners in a thrilling match at Alavés in which Nené's hat-trick for the locals (including two penalties) could not even save them a point. They replace last week's leaders Celta, who lost 0-1 at home to Racing Santander.

Osasuna took advantage to move up into the top four thanks to a 1-0 win over Sevilla, Webó putting David López through for the only goal on the hour mark. Athletic Bilbao drop out of the European spots though after losing 1-2 to Málaga, all three goals coming in the last five minutes of the game. The wins for Racing and Málaga mean that Alavés drop to the bottom of the table. (18.09.05)

Goals galore in the first two games of week three, with no less than eleven being scored in the Mestalla and San Moix stadiums. Valencia and Deportivo cancelled each other out in an incident packed 2-2 draw in which both sides finished with ten men, Baraja seeing red late in the first half and Munitis picking up a second booking after the break. Diego Tristán put the visitors ahead midway through the first half after the defence failed to clear, but David Villa levelled things with a twice taken penalty after Andrade handled in the area soon after the restart. Debutant Miguel appeared to have won it for the hosts with an impressive volley ten minutes from the end, but another defensive mistake allowed Momo's cross to reach Sergio for him to equalise three minutes later. Deportivo move top and Valencia are up to third pending Sunday's games.

There were seven more goals later on in Mallorca, where the locals climbed off the bottom of the table with a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad. Yordi headed Héctor Cúper's side ahead in the fifth minute, but by the interval they were behind after Novo struck a deflected shot past Prats and Xabi Prieto made it two on the stroke of half time. But Arango turned the scoreline around with two headed goals in three minutes, the first from a corner and the second from Okubo's cross, and then completed his hat-trick with a spectacular volley after controlling a throw-in with his back to goal. And Choutos came on for the last couple of minutes to add a fifth and take his side up twelve spots in the league to eighth place. (17.09.05)