By DPA
Madrid : Real Madrid stormed to the top of the Spanish Liga with an emphatic 5-0 win away to Villarreal. Wesley Sneijder was the key man for the defending champion in Villarreal, turning in a stellar display that included two goals.
The Dutch playmaker climbed to the top of the scorers’ chart Sunday after putting away three goals in his first two games in the famous white shirt.
“It was a lovely game,” said Sneijder. “I’m very pleased with the way the season has started.”
Real are the only team to have won their first two La Liga games this season.
They took the lead in Villarreal in the 38th minute, when Sneijder played a perfect pass from the left for Raul Gonzalez, who slipped between the two central defenders and scored with a clever toe-poke.
Villarreal had chances to equalize, but had the stuffing knocked out of them by Sneijder at the start of the second half.
In the 48th minute the Dutchman made it 2-0 with a free-kick that went in off the near post. Just two minutes later, Sergio Ramos set up Ruud van Nistelrooy to score the third.
In the 79th minute Sneijder set up a rapid Real counter and finished the move himself, scoring his second goal. Six minutes later Guti completed the rout to make it 5-0.
Sunday’s other late game was a 1-1 draw between Atletico Madrid and Mallorca, which leaves the islanders in second place with four points.
Daniel Guiza gave Mallorca the lead in the 18th minute with a solo goal. The visitors wasted chances to finish off Atleti, who once again disappointed their long-suffering fans.
Twelve minutes from time Mariano Pernia levelled for Atletico with a fierce left-foot drive. The dull hosts, however, never looked capable of winning – and another frustrating season looks in the cards.
Earlier Sunday, Barcelona had scored their first win, 3-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao with two goals from Ronaldinho and one from Yaya Toure.
The Brazilian maestro opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a majestic free-kick, then made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute after Thierry Henry had been pulled down by Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
Bilbao pulled back a goal in the 71st minute when youngster Markel Susaeta scored after Barca keeper had flapped at a centre from the right.
But just two minutes later Yaya Toure made it 3-1 with a left-foot blast which hit the crossbar and possibly did not cross the line.
The only bad news for Barcelona was the sending-off of defender Rafa Marquez for picking up two yellow cards. But Bilbao midfielder Lertxundi Koikilli soon followed him to the dressing-rooms, and both teams finished the match with 10 men.
“We were really good in the first half,” said Ronaldinho, “and should have scored more goals.”
“We dropped our rhythm a little in the second half,” he added, “but we were never really in trouble.”
Valencia also picked up their first win, 2-1 away to Almeria thanks to a late goal from left-back Emiliano Moretti.
Valencia had taken the lead at the start of the second half through veteran Fernando Morientes, only for Alvaro Negredo to make it 1-1 in the 62nd minute by heading in a corner.
But Valencia continued to attack and just 11 minutes from time Moretti came forward and restored their lead after being set up by Miguel Angel Angulo.
Sunday’s other games were all draws, with Betis coming from behind to draw 2-2 against Espanyol, with Deportivo la Coruna getting the same result in Valladolid, and with Getafe scraping a 1-1 at home to Recreativo Huelva.
The second round of matches had kicked off Saturday with two draws. Zaragoza were held 1-1 by Racing Santander, while Murcia battled out a 0-0 draw away to Levante.