La Liga

BARCELONA — Lionel Messi was back in scoring business for Barcelona on Sunday, leading them to a resounding 4-0 win at home against Villarreal in a near-perfect La Liga opener for the Catalans under new coach Ronald Koeman.

Teenage forward Ansu Fati was in inspirational form for Barca, combining with Jordi Alba to side-foot home first time into the net in the 15th minute and then striking again four minutes later with another ice-cool finish.

MADRID — Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa looked forward to a fruitful partnership with new team mate Luis Suarez after his side thrashed Granada 6-1 on Sunday, making a cheeky reference to the Uruguayan's disciplinary problems over the years.

Costa opened the scoring with a headed goal and then came off the pitch in the second half to make way for Suarez, who quickly made his mark following his switch from Barcelona by scoring twice and providing an assist in the final 20 minutes.

MADRID — Luis Suarez had a stunning impact on his debut for Atletico Madrid following his move from Barcelona, scoring twice and providing an assist as his side crushed Granada 6-1 at home in their first game of the La Liga season on Sunday.

Suarez, who only completed his switch from Barca on Friday, started on the bench and came on midway through the second half with his side already three goals up thanks to strikes from Diego Costa, Angel Correa and Joao Felix.

SEVILLE, Spain — Real Madrid edged Real Betis 3-2 in an eventful game for their first win of the Liga season on Saturday, thanks to a late Sergio Ramos penalty that was furiously protested by the hosts.

Madrid captain Ramos again showed nerves of steel to chip the ball into the net from the spot after a VAR review for a handball by defender Marc Bartra, who appeared to have been pushed by visiting forward Borja Mayoral.

Sergio Ramos Panenka

BARCELONA — Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said he understood why Lionel Messi was upset about the departure of his long-time strike partner and friend Luis Suárez to Atletico Madrid but did not believe it would affect him on the pitch.

Messi blasted Barca on Friday for forcing Suarez out after six years of service in which he scored 198 goals, the Argentinean's latest attack on the club's hierarchy after he tried to force a move of his own last month.

Lionel Messi usually makes fans emotional with his magic of play on the pitch but on Friday he tugged on our heart strings with a message to now former teammate Luis Suárez.

Suarez left Barcelona on free transfer to join fellow LaLiga giant Atletico Madrid.

BARCELONA — Atletico Madrid has signed Luis Suárez from Barcelona with the Uruguayan striker penning a two-year deal, the Spanish clubs said on Wednesday, bringing to an end his six-year stint at the Camp Nou. Barca's statement said the Luis Suarez transfer fee from Atletico will be six million euros ($7 million) in bonus payments.

The moment has finally arrived, and with it, the tears of a clown inside his Range Rover Sport. 

A month ago, in the wake of the Lisbon disaster and the resulting farce of president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s ill-conceived list of untouchables, Luis Suárez put on a brave face and declared himself ready to continue at the Camp Nou by any means necessary, even if it meant riding the pine.

Newly promoted Cádiz, playing in LaLiga for the first time since 2005-06, started the new campaign brightly on Sunday with a 2-0 away victory over Huesca. 

There were a couple of feel-good stories on the day, including 35-year-old striker Álvaro Negredo scoring his first LaLiga goal since 2016 after a sojourn abroad that included stints with Manchester City, Middlesbrough and Beşiktaş. 

But even better was the first top tier appearance for 41-year-old goalkeeper Alberto Cifuentes, who became the oldest-ever LaLiga debutant and kept a clean sheet.