BARCELONA (AFP) – Pedri and Ferran Torres’ late strikes earned La Liga champions Barcelona a 2-0 win over Cadiz in their first competitive home game away from Camp Nou on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 at Real Betis in a dour clash.
Playing at the Olympic Stadium on the city’s Montjuic hill while their stadium is rebuilt and upgraded over the next year-and-a-half, Barcelona were nearly thwarted by visitors Cadiz.
After Getafe held them to a frustrating goalless draw on the opening weekend, Cadiz almost managed the same feat until Ilkay Gundogan cleverly released Pedri to score.
Substitute Torres drove through the middle and tucked home in stoppage time to put gloss on what was another unconvincing performance.
“I’m happy, quite satisfied with the team’s work and their positional play too, I think it’s a totally deserved victory,” said Barca coach Xavi Hernandez.
The Catalan coach, banned from the dugout after being sent off against Getafe, selected 16-year-old Lamine Yamal on the right in place of the suspended Raphinha, also dismissed last weekend as tempers frayed.
Yamal, on his first start for the club, came closest for the Catalans in the first half with an angled strike expertly tipped to safety by Jeremias Ledesma.
