Real crash, Messi rescues Barca

SUNDAY Osasuna 1-2 Barcelona Getafe 2-1 Real Madrid Granada 1-1 Sevilla Valencia 3-3 Deportivo

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Medical tests confirmed that Carles Puyol (R) has fractured his right cheekbone. Net photo.

SUNDAYOsasuna 1-2 BarcelonaGetafe 2-1 Real MadridGranada 1-1 SevillaValencia 3-3 DeportivoREAL Madrid’s troubled start to the season continued when the champions squandered the lead and slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at city rivals Getafe in La Liga on Sunday to slip five points behind leaders Barcelona.The rare reverse for Jose Mourinho’s side, who were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Valencia on matchday one last weekend, ended their 24-match unbeaten run in the league, their longest in 15 years.They looked comfortably in control when Gonzalo Higuain fired them ahead from close range in the 27th minute at the Coliseum in Madrid.But their failure to capitalise on long periods of possession ultimately cost them and lowly Getafe levelled eight minutes after the break when Juan Valera nodded past Iker Casillas from a free-kick.It went from bad to worse for the visitors 15 minutes from time when substitute Adrian Colunga set up Abdelaziz Barrada to smash the ball high into the net and secure a famous victory."We were unable to close out the game,” Real’s Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso said in an interview with Spanish TV. "Obviously we have to improve and we are self-critical but we have to take things slowly.Lionel Messi had earlier saved an off-colour Barca from a first defeat of the campaign when he struck twice in the second half in a 2-1 comeback victory at 10-man Osasuna.Barca have six points from two games and top the table on goal difference from Rayo Vallecano, who also have six after their 2-1 win at Real Betis on Saturday.Real, who lost a league match for the first time after leading at halftime in more than five years, have a solitary point and are down in 15th ahead of next weekend’s match at home to Granada.They also need to regroup for Wednesday Spanish Super Cup second leg at home to Barca, when they will be attempting to overturn a 3-2 deficit from last week’s first leg at the Nou Camp.Barcelona captain Carles Puyol was due to undergo further tests on yesterday to determine the extent of the fractured right cheekbone he suffered during the win at Osasuna.The 34-year-old defender sustained the injury in a late collision with Osasuna forward Roland Lamah. A club statement on www.fcbarcelona.cat read: "Medical tests confirmed that Carles Puyol has fractured his right cheekbone.