Barcelona thrash Elche 5-0 in La Liga opener; Atletico draw 2-2 at Villarreal

Barcelona opened their La Liga title defense with a dominant 5-0 victory over Elche, featuring two goals each from Raphinha and Fermin Lopez. The win sends a strong message to rivals Real Madrid following their narrow opening-day victory. Raphinha converted a penalty and set up debutant Karim Adeyemi, while substitute Anthony Gordon provided two assists in an impressive cameo. Atletico Madrid salvaged a 2-2 draw against Villarreal despite Robin Le Normand's red card, with Giuliano Simeone scoring late. Barcelona are still seeking a striker after Atletico rejected their bid for Julian Alvarez, who was booed by his own fans upon entering as a substitute. Elsewhere, Getafe beat Racing Santander 1-0.