La Liga review: Barcelona suffer shock defeat but rivals Real Madrid continue impressive unbeaten start
Alaves upset Luis Enrique's men at the Nou Camp while Zinedine Zidane's side maintained 100 per cent start
It’s been a while since Barcelona have found themselves outside of the top three in La Liga but after a dismal performance at home to Alaves, that’s exactly where they’re sat today.
The newcomers were full value for a shock win at the Camp Nou and not even the presence of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and Andres Iniesta could turn the tide.
Deyverson’s crisp finish and Ibai Gomez’s opportunist strike sandwiched a header from Jeremy Mathieu, but Luis Enrique will think twice before employing such large-scale rotations again.
Cristiano Ronaldo came back from injury with a bang, scoring inside seven minutes of his season debut, as Real Madrid ran riot at the Bernabeu, humbling a poor Osasuna side 5-2.
That three of the other four were scored by defenders - Danilo, Sergio Ramos and Pepe – tells you everything about how the team from Pamplona were set up.
Luka Modric, on his birthday, iced the cake with one of his special long-range efforts and the result keeps Los Blancos at the summit.
Atletico Madrid finally kick-started their campaign with an emphatic away win at Celta Vigo.
Goal-less at half time, Diego Simeone must have feared the worst but whatever was said at the break clearly worked as the Rojiblancos ran riot in the second half.
Antoine Griezmann set up Koke for a side-foot volley before two quick-fire headed goals of his own, Angel Correa completing the scoring.
It’s a result which leaves the Galicians rooted to the bottom of the table with a minus-six goal difference and no points.
A dour 1-1 draw in San Sebastian was lit up by Pablo Piatti’s long-distance opener for Espanyol and a towering header to equalise from Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose.
There was little to get excited about, unlike at Sevilla where the hosts toppled Las Palmas.
Tana’s superb long-ranger opened the scoring for the Canary Islanders on 15 but a debatable penalty on 87 (Sarabia) and Carlos Fernandez’s last-kick-of-the-game winner in the 94th minute turned that game on its head.
Malaga were all over the place against Villarreal and their marking was non-existent for Jaume Costa’s first. The Yellow Submarine could even afford the luxury of Bruno’s missed penalty before Nicola Sansone took the game out of Los Bocquerones reach, 2-0 the final score.
Sporting Gijon registered their second victory of the campaign despite a plucky fight-back from visitors Leganes.
Nacho Cases and Duje Cop had given the hosts a two-goal advantage at the break but once Diego Rico pulled one back, it was all Leganes. The newly-promoted side just didn’t have enough left in the tank and they entertain Barca next!
Despite a brave second-half effort, Valencia’s season goes from bad to worse, losing 3-2 at home to Real Betis.
Veterans Ruben Castro and Joaquin put the Andalusians in front before Rodrigo and Ezequiel Garay scored twice in three minutes to level the game.
However, Castro scored in the 92nd minute to sink the home side.
Rodrigo and Ezequiel Garay brought Los Che level with 10 to go. Castro bagged his second in injury time to keep Pako Ayesteran’s side pointless.
Pedro Leon’s bobbler took a wicked deflection to give Eibar the lead at Granada, Artem Kravets right on the line to equalise for the home side, who lost Sergi Samper to injury. Sergi Enrich’s accomplished finish on 93 stole the points for the visitors.
Deportivo La Coruna wrapped up week three by outplaying Athletic Bilbao for long periods but still losing to Raul Garcia’s 41st minute effort.