MADRID — Real Madrid's troubled start to the season continued when the champion squandered the lead and slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at city rival Getafe Sunday to slip five points behind La Liga leader Barcelona. The rare domestic reverse for Jose Mourinho's side, which was held to a 1-1 draw at home to Valencia last weekend, ended a 24-match unbeaten run in the league, its longest in 15 years. It looked comfortably in control when Gonzalo Higuain fired it ahead from close range in the 27th minute at the Coliseum in Madrid. But its failure to capitalize on long periods of possession ultimately cost it and lowly Getafe leveled 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. Real's misery was compounded when defender Fabio Coentrao was sent from the bench for protesting late on and will be suspended for next weekend's match at home to Granada. “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. “It was a setback we really weren't expecting and we have to change the dynamic as soon as possible.” Lionel Messi had earlier saved an off-color 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 has six points from two games and top the table on goal difference from Rayo Vallecano, which also has six after its 2-1 win at Real Betis Saturday. Valencia failed to build on its impressive result at Real when it let slip a 2-0 lead and had Ricardo Costa sent off in a 3-3 draw at home to promoted Deportivo Coruna in the late kickoff and are 12th on two points. Real, which lost a league match for the first time after leading at the break in more than five years, has a solitary point and is down in 15th. It now needs to regroup for Wednesday's Spanish Super Cup second leg at home to Barca, when it will be attempting to overturn a 3-2 deficit from last week's first leg at the Nou Camp. Barca's new coach Tito Vilanova, who replaced Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, blotted his away league debut when he was sent from the bench for protesting a decision moments after Nino's failed effort. Barcelona said Monday it will appeal the dismissal. — Reuters
