Barcelona, Real Madrid both lose before Clasico
Real Madrid and Barcelona will each go to the Clasico next weekend on the trunk of a defeat after La Liga's two title favorites were punished for slack performances on Saturday.
Zinedine Zidane made four substitutions at half-time but cannot spark a lethargic Madrid into life as his team fell 1-0 at the home to newly-promoted Cadiz.
Then two hours down the road on the opposite side of the town, Ronald Koeman tasted his first competitive loss as coach of Barcelona because they followed Madrid's example when you are beaten 1-0 by Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.
Madrid's was possibly the more concerning display, the reigning champions managing just two shots on target against Cadiz, who could have scored more after Anthony Lozano's early strike.
But Barca was not far better, with Lionel Messi strangely quiet and the team failing to rebound after Jaime Mata's penalty gave Getafe the lead in the second half.
For Madrid, there is a personal injury concern too as Sergio Ramos spent the second half in the stands with ice strapped around his left knee.
Madrid said the injury was not serious but it puts in doubt Ramos' involvement in their first Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, as well the Clasico three days later.
"Hopefully it's minor, said Zidane. "Tomorrow we'll see what he did."
An extended absence for Ramos would cap a deflating night for the champions, whose dreary display certainly hands an early on a boost to their title rivals.
Even if Barcelona were not able to capitalize, Atletico Madrid had earlier beaten Celta Vigo 2-0, with Luis Suarez opening the scoring at Balaidos.
- 'No excuses' -
"There is absolutely no explanation," said Zidane. "If indeed they scored several goals in the first half, we couldn't have complained. There are no excuses."
This is Cadiz's first season in the very best flight in 14 years and their first victory over Real Madrid in 29. Their reward is second place in the table, denied top spot by their opponents only because of goal difference.
Isco, Luka Modric, and Lucas Vazquez were the other three players to be hauled off by Zidane, who was simply reacting to an especially poor display from his side in the first half.
Eder Militao, Casemiro, Fede Valverde and Marco Asensio came on while a surprised-looking Toni Kroos also departed in the next period, replaced by Luka Jovic.
But Cadiz might have been three up in the first quarter of an hour as Ramos prevented Alvaro Negredo's finish from rolling in before Negredo created the opener.
His cushioned header subjected to Lozano, who skipped beyond Madrid's sleepy defence and poked over the onrushing Thibaut Courtois.
Madrid may have equalized in the second half as Vinicius Junior headed wide of an open goal and Karim Benzema rattled the crossbar with a long-range shot. But Cadiz wasn't overly troubled.
Getafe was hardly ever really hanging on either, regardless if Barcelona went close to an equalizer, Messi hitting the post and driving a loose ball wide in injury-time. Antoine Griezmann also ballooned over when subjected to in the first half.
Getafe's Cucho Hernandez also hit the bar after a clumsy challenge from Frenkie de Jong on Djene Dakonham gave Mata his chance.
Earlier, Suarez partnered Diego Costa for the very first time and scored as Atletico Madrid beat struggling Celta Vigo.
- 'Like the mix' -
But the Suarez-Costa combination came to an early on end as Costa was forced off injured in the next half.
"I liked the mixture of both," said Diego Simeone. "Their characteristics mean they are able to play together. They provide us strength and presence and personality in the penalty area. It's one of the options the team has."
Sitting in the stands, Costa was seen along with his face in his hands and he appears likely now to miss Atletico's Champions League opener at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Suarez had earlier finished off a sweeping move down the left before Yannick Carrasco ensured of the victory in injury-time, heading in after Joao Felix's effort returned off the crossbar.
There is also a debut for Lucas Torreira, the Uruguayan signed on loan from Arsenal, who was simply energetic and tidy in central midfield, despite feeling some cramp late on.
Atletico climb to fourth, two points behind Real Madrid and one before Barcelona. Celta, meanwhile, has managed only 1 win from their first six games and sit 13th.
Source: www.daily-sun.com
