Real Madrid sounds ominous warning

Real Madrid sent a warning to the rest of the Primera Liga by thrashing Villarreal, 5-0, at El Madrigal on Sunday night.

The defending champions were at their fluent best with new signing Wesley Sneijder particularly prominent. The Holland winger, signed from Ajax in the close season, netted twice to add to efforts from Raul, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Guti.

The win sees Bernd Schuster's men go to the top of the table having also won their opener, against city rivals Atletico last weekend.

Ronaldinho shrugged off the speculation surrounding his Barcelona future by scoring twice as the Catalan giants eased past Athletic Bilbao, 3-1.

The Brazil playmaker was linked with a move to Chelsea before Friday's transfer deadline but showed his commitment to the Barca cause with a virtuoso display which proved too good for Athletic.

Ronaldinho's double - the second coming from the penalty spot - gave the hosts a commanding half-time lead and although Markel Susaeta pulled one back, Yaya Toure's first goal for Frank Rijkaard's side settled the contest.

Both sides finished with 10 men with Barca's Rafael Marquez and Athletic's Lertxundi Koikili seeing red.

Valencia bounced back from their humbling by Villarreal last weekend with a 2-1 win at newly-promoted Almeria.

Fernando Morientes put Los Che ahead but Alvaro Negredo levelled after 65 minutes. Full-back Emiliano Moretti struck the winner nine minutes from full-time.

Atletico Madrid are still searching for their first win of the season after coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw with Real Mallorca.

Despite dominating for large periods it was left to Atletico's Mariano Pernia to cancel out Daniel Guiza's opener.

Deportivo La Coruna had to come from behind twice to avoid a second consecutive reverse at the hands of promoted opponents, this time against Real Valladolid. Having lost to Almeria last weekend, they fared better this time around.

Jose Antonio Garcia Calvo and Sisi Gonzalez were the scorers for the home side only for first Sebastian Taborda and Ivan Riki to equalize for Depor.

Manu del Moral came off the bench to grab a 90th-minute equalizer for 10-man Getafe in a 1-1 draw with Recreativo Huelva.

After Mario Cotelo was sent off, Recre striker Florent Sinama Pongolle made it two goals in two games when he fired home what looked to be the winner in the 85th minute, but deep into stoppage time Manu brought the scores level with the last kick of the game.

Espanyol remain without a Primera Liga win after letting slip a two-goal advantage in the last seven minutes against Real Betis.

Luis Garcia's first-half double looked to have set the Barcelona-based side on the way to their first three-point haul of the campaign following last weekend's disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of Valladolid.

But the hosts had other ideas, and late goals from Rafael Sobis and substitute Fernando salvaged a draw for Hector Cuper's team.

On Saturday, Real Murcia gained a creditable goalless draw away to Levante.

Real Zaragoza and Racing Santander shared a 1-1 draw. Oscar Serrano opened the scoring for Racing but then Ricardo Oliveira equalized for Zaragoza who have had a poor start to the season.