Spain round-up: Depor on top

Maximum points

Espanyol comeback
In other games played on Wednesday evening, RCD Espanyol came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Real Betis Balompié, with Alberto Lopo equalising in the 93rd minute. Spanish Cup holders RCD Mallorca beat promoted Real Zaragoza 2-0 courtesy of goals from Arnold Bruggink and Samuel Eto'o. Club Atlético de Madrid were narrow 1-0 winners against another promoted side, Albacete Balompié, with Jorge scoring the only goal after 50 minutes.

Mixed fortunes for new boys
The division's other new boys, Real Murcia CF, had more success, drawing 1-1 with Real Racing Club Santander. Real Valladolid CF, meanwhile, beat Málaga CF 1-0.

Ronaldinho strike
Earlier on Wednesday morning - at 00.05CET to be precise - FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC kicked off their match at Camp Nou. Brazilian international Ronaldinho rescued a 1-1 draw for the hosts when he skipped past two Sevilla defenders before firing home from the edge of the penalty area. It cancelled out José Reyes's tenth-minute penalty for the visitors.

Unusual match time
The match started at the unusual time so that Barcelona could fulfil their obligation of playing on Wednesday but also field as many of their top players as possible before they had to report for international duty. More than 80,000 turned out, and were given dinner and entertainment before the kick-off.

Late goal by Madrid
Meanwhile on Tuesday evening, Real Madrid CF needed a late goal to achieve a 1-1 scoreline at Villarreal CF, substitute Antonio Nuñez the scorer. Nuñez, making his league debut, got his head to a David Beckham corner four minutes from time to cancel out a spectacular strike by Villarreal substitute Sonny Anderson.

Stunning strike
Brazilian forward Anderson had only been on the pitch for one minute and 27 seconds when he muscled past Rubén González and fired a first-time shot from the edge of the area that soared past Iker Casilllas. Juan Román Riquelme could have won it for Villarreal before Nuñez's late goal, although injury-hit Madrid, who started without Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo and lost Zinedine Zidane in the first half, hit the woodwork through Francisco Pavón and Michel Salgado.

Milosevic volley
In Tuesday's other matches last season's runners-up, Real Sociedad de Fútbol, were also held to a 1-1 draw at home against RC Celta de Vigo. Serbo-Montenegrin striker Darko Kovacevic put Real in front with a 37th-minute header from Valery Karpin's cross, but the Galician side levelled when Savo Milosevic struck with a volley midway through the second half.

Only winners
Valencia CF were the only winners of the night, beating Club Atlético Osasuna 1-0 thanks to a header from midfield player Rubén Baraja early in the second half at El Sadar.