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La Liga Table 2019 Week 1: Opening Standings Following Friday's Results
August 16, 2019
Champions Barcelona slipped to a shock 1-0 defeat in their opening La Liga game of the season Friday, going down to Athletic Bilbao at San Mames.
Veteran striker Aritz Aduriz struck a brilliant overhead kick in the 89th minute to hand the hosts all three points in a dramatic finish.
Ernesto Valverde's side were without captain Lionel Messi due to injury and also lost Luis Suarez in the first half. The club confirmed the striker suffered a muscle injury and will undergo tests Saturday.
Friday's Result
Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Barcelona
Saturday, August 17
Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid
Valencia vs. Real Sociedad
Real Mallorca vs. Eibar
Leganes vs. Osasuna
Villarreal vs. Granada
Sunday, August 18
Alaves vs. Levante
Espanyol vs. Sevilla
Real Betis vs. Real Valladolid
Atletico Madrid vs. Getafe
The full La Liga table is provided by BBC Sport here.
Friday Recap
Valverde left Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic on the bench for the game against his former side and handed full debuts to new signings Frenkie de Jong and Antoine Griezmann:
The hosts were the better side in the first half. They pressed and harried the champions and ensured Marc-Andre ter Stegen was the busier goalkeeper.
The Germany international denied Inaki Williams twice in the opening 15 minutes and also saved a long shot from Unai Lopez on the half-hour mark:
Barcelona suffered a blow on 37 minutes when Suarez was forced off with injury and replaced by Rafinha.
ESPN FC's Samuel Marsden said Suarez was struggling with a calf problem:
The Uruguay international picked up the injury shortly before striking the post. The striker pounced on a poor back pass from Lopez but could only direct an effort on to the woodwork.
Barcelona went close again four minutes before half-time. Substitute Rafinha fired in a left-footed effort from the edge of the box that goalkeeper Unai Simon managed to tip onto the crossbar.
The visitors made their second change of the match at half-time, bringing on Rakitic for Carles Alena in midfield.
The arrival of the Croatia international helped Barcelona improve after the break. The midfielder went close to breaking the deadlock with a shot that flew just over the bar from inside the box on 70 minutes.
Barcelona piled on the pressure in the closing stages but struggled to work Simon in the Athletic goal and were stunned late on when the hosts hit the only goal of the game.
Substitute Aduriz sent an acrobatic overhead kick past Ter Stegen from a deep cross in from the right by Capa:
It was a superb goal by the 38-year-old that handed all three points to Gaizka Garitano's side and leaves Barcelona with plenty to ponder at the start of their title defence.