Espanyol Thrash Levante 3-0 as Racing Salvage 2-2 Draw Against Villarreal in LaLiga's Return

The return of LaLiga EA Sports came packed with storylines, and not all of them involved Barcelona or Real Madrid, who didn't even take the field this weekend. The Spanish top flight became the first of Europe's five major leagues to kick off, just weeks after the Spanish national team was crowned world champion, and the opening weekend delivered lopsided wins, a long-awaited homecoming, and a curveball or two.

The most emphatic performance came from Espanyol, who thrashed Levante 3-0 at home to open the season on the right foot. Roberto Fernandez was the star of the afternoon, scoring twice before halftime to put the match all but out of reach. In the closing minutes, English forward Tyrhys Dolan added the finishing touch with a third goal that rounded out a comfortable win.

It's not a bad omen for the Catalan side, who started strong last season, hovered near the top of the table in the early rounds, and then endured a brutal 18-game winless streak that dragged them into a relegation fight. They ultimately survived, finishing 11th. Levante, meanwhile, comes off a season to forget, narrowly escaping the drop and finishing 16th.

Racing's Return, Pure Emotion

Racing de Santander's match carried weight that went well beyond the football itself. The Cantabrian club returned to the top flight after a 14 year absence, and it did so against none other than Villarreal, who finished third last season behind champions Barcelona and runners-up Real Madrid.

The opener couldn't have started better for the home side, who raced out to a 2-0 lead on their own turf. But the "Yellow Submarine" answered with a statement: they leveled the match with two goals scored just a minute apart before halftime, and the scoreline held from there. The final result was a 2-2 draw that leaves mixed feelings for the newly promoted side, though a point against a Champions League hopeful is hardly a bad starting point.

Barcelona and Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid still have to wait for their season openers. Both will begin their campaigns next week, after several of their players returned late following the World Cup.

Alaves and Sevilla Also Pick Up Three Points

Saturday had already produced two notable results. Alaves cruised to a comfortable win on the road against a Getafe side reduced to ten men, winning 3-0. Sevilla, meanwhile, had to fight for it: they fell behind before turning the match around to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1.

The round also had its share of drama off the field. Sunday's match between Celta de Vigo and Osasuna had to be postponed after a fungal outbreak was detected on the Balaidos pitch. The game has been rescheduled for August 27, despite complaints from the Navarrese club over the date change.