Barcelona, Madrid lose ahead of Champions League openers

Suárez helps Atlético end scoring drought, Sevilla loses

October 19, 2020 00:00:00

Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi looking dejected during the Spanish League football match against Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez stadium in Getafe, south of Madrid on Saturday — Reuters

BARCELONA, Spain, Oct 18 (AP): Barcelona and Real Madrid lost for the first time this season on Saturday against modest Spanish league opposition, increasing the doubts over their stalled attacks ahead of Champions League openers and their own "clásico" clash.

Barcelona had its first defeat under Ronald Koeman when it lost 1-0 at Getafe, right after Madrid was beaten 1-0 at home by recently promoted Cádiz. The star-powered attacks of the European powerhouses appeared shackled by their opponents. While Getafe lived up to its reputation as one of Spain's top defensive sides by shutting down Barcelona, Madrid was sloppy and sluggish against an inspired Cádiz that is back in the top flight after 15 seasons.

Sevilla also lost before it visits Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday, leaving Atlético Madrid as the only one of Spain's top teams to celebrate a victory. It faces Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Zinedine Zidane was at a loss for his team's performance against Cádiz.

Led by 35-year-old striker Álvaro Negredo, Cádiz proved more dangerous than Madrid, particularly in the first half when the visitors could have gone into the interval with a two-goal advantage.

Negredo set up Anthony Lozano to chip the game's only goal over Thibaut Courtois in the 16th. Sergio Ramos had already stopped a shot from Negredo, and Courtois made several more saves before halftime.

Karim Benzema had Madrid's only good chance to equalize when he hit the crossbar with eight minutes remaining.

Ramos had a knock to the left knee during a clash with Lozano that forced him to be substituted at halftime, casting doubt on his availability for Madrid's Champions League opener against Shaktar Donetsk on Wednesday.

Luis Suárez scored an early goal to help Atlético win 2-0 at Celta Vigo and end the team's scoring drought.

Suárez had debuted for Diego Simeone's team by netting twice in a 6-1 rout of Granada after joining Atlético from Barcelona. But since then the Uruguay striker and his teammates had been restrained in 0-0 stalemates against Huesca and Villarreal.

Granada beat 10-man Sevilla 1-0 after Yangel Herrera broke the deadlock with a header with eight minutes to go.