Barcelona drop points at Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona dropped their first points in LaLiga this season as Rayo Vallecano fought back to secure a 1-1 draw at home to the champions in a testy encounter on Sunday where a faulty VAR system caused controversy.
Rayo substitute Fran Perez thrashed home a 67th-minute equaliser as he stole in unmarked at the back post from a corner after Lamine Yamal’s 40th-minute penalty had put Barca ahead.
A malfunctioning VAR ensured the game was clouded in controversy after Pep Chavarria's challenge on Yamal, which led to the spot kick being awarded, could not be reviewed because the system was not working at the time.
Chavarria did make contact with Yamal’s thigh but the penalty award might have been overturned on review.
Both teams had been informed of the faulty system at kick-off, but Rayo’s vigorous protests over referee Mateo Busquets’ decision ensured the rest of the clash at Estadio de Vallecas was played in a tempestuous atmosphere.
Indignant home supporters voiced their fury at every subsequent decision that went against their side.
Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia made several outstanding stops to deny Rayo a win at the end of a week in which the club from the Madrid suburbs secured a place in the Conference League group phase on their return to Europe after 24 years.
García made a point-blank save to deny Andrei Ratiu in the 12th minute and in the second half spectacularly denied efforts from Isi Palazon and a breakaway on goal by Jorge de Frutos.
Substitute Sergio Camello could have won the game for Rayo in the last minute but, with the goal at his mercy, he miscued his shot, allowing a grateful Garcia to gather easily.
For Barca, Daniel Olmo was guilty of missing a sitter soon after teenager Yamal’s penalty had put the visitors ahead. He hit the ball over the top of the crossbar from close in, setting off an angry reaction from furious coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona had won their opening two games of the season but the dropped points mean Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao are the only two clubs with a 100% record after three matches. Rayo have four points from their opening matches of the campaign.
Inter suffer shock defeat against Udinese
Inter Milan were handed a shock 2-1 loss at home to Udinese in Serie A despite taking the lead through Denzel Dumfries as the visitors responded with two goals before the break on Sunday.
Inter won their opening game 5-0 at home to Torino but looked well off that form despite opening the scoring in the 17th minute when Dumfries tapped in from a Marcus Thuram pass in the box.
Udinese had already looked dangerous before that and continued to threaten after going behind, equalising 12 minutes later when a Dumfries handball in the area was penalised and Keinan Davis converted from the spot.
The equaliser was no more than Udinese deserved and with Inter looking nervy, the visitors went in front five minutes before the break.
A Davis pass sent Arthur Atta driving towards the danger zone and he steered his shot from the edge of the area into the far corner.
"After the last season, I realised where we could improve and Atta was one with more potential," Udinese manager Kosta Runjaic told DAZN.
"Now he has certainly become more dangerous."
Inter came firing out of the blocks in the second half, with Thuram heading over from a Federico Dimarco cross, and shortly afterwards Dimarco thought he had equalised but the goal was ruled out for an offside in the build-up.
"We have to start the games as we did in the second half," Thuram told Inter TV.
"By playing like this we will be able to overturn unfavourable situations."
Davis then had a chance to double Udinese's lead but after doing all the hard work with a mazy run into the box, the English forward put his shot well wide.
Inter piled on the pressure, desperately seeking a way back into the game, but Udinese held firm and came away with their first away win against Inter since 2017, to move them on to four points.
"In the second half it was much more difficult for us," Runjaic added.
"We retreated into our own half, defending in the trenches with intense focus and a hellish defence."
Under new manager Cristian Chivu, Inter are aiming to reclaim the Scudetto but find themselves already playing catch-up in the standings, with champions Napoli on maximum points after two games alongside Juventus, AS Roma and promoted Cremonese.
Juventus win at Genoa
Juventus scraped a 1-0 win at Genoa in their Serie A clash on Sunday, with Dusan Vlahovic coming off the bench to score for the second successive game.
Vlahovic, who also netted in the opening-day victory over Parma, looked set to leave Juve in the close season, with the club eager to sell the Serbia striker rather than lose him for free when his contract runs out next year.
But for now the forward is proving vital at this early stage of the campaign.
"I thought only of coming in and doing well, about how to score," Vlahovic told DAZN.
"It's normal that there's talk about me. I'm happy to have helped the team. I hope to continue like this in the future. The season is long. I continue to make myself available to everyone."
The first half provided little entertainment, with the hosts having the game's first effort on target in the 26th minute.
Genoa's Mikael Ellertsson turned Joao Mario -- the only change for Juventus from their opening win over Parma, replacing the suspended Andrea Cambiaso -- in the box before getting a shot away which goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio parried.
Juve sparked into life in the final five minutes of the opening period, finally carving out decent opportunities.
Federico Gatti met a Kenan Yildiz pass across the area first time, bringing a reflex save from keeper Nicola Leali.
Leali then palmed away a Yildiz shot and when the ball fell invitingly for Jonathan David, he somehow blasted over from inside the six-yard box.
There was no real improvement after the break, and Juventus manager Igor Tudor turned to his bench in the 62nd minute, sending on Teun Koopmeiners, Filip Kostic and Vlahovic.
Kostic whipped in a corner 11 minutes later and Vlahovic sent a thumping header past Leali.
Against Parma, Vlahovic wrapped up a 2-0 win four minutes after coming on and, while it took him a little longer this time, his goal proved even more important.
There was some late drama when Di Gregorio conceded a corner in added time from a Caleb Ekuban shot and from the resulting set piece Patrizio Masini's header rattled the crossbar and the keeper scrambled the ball away in the final act of the match.
