minute equalizer gave Racing Santander a 1-1 draw at FC Barcelona on Saturday, leaving the Catalan powerhouse still without a win in the Spanish league season. Pereira deflected Ezequiel Garay's low free kick into the net six minutes after substitute Lionel Messi had scored with a penalty for Barcelona's first goal of the new campaign. The result at Camp Nou was a fresh disappointment for Barcelona's new coach Pep Guardiola, whose team lost its opening game to promoted Numancia two weeks ago and has gained just one point from two rounds – its worst start since the 1973-74 season. Atletico Madrid stayed on three points after a 2-1 defeat at Valladolid, which played most of the game with 10 men. In Saturday's late game, Sevilla gained its first win of the season by beating promoted Sporting Gijon 4-3. On Sunday, Real Madrid seeks its first points of the season when it hosts Numancia, while last season's runner-up Villarreal welcomes Deportivo La Coruna. Guardiola omitted France striker Thierry Henry and Mexico defender Rafael Marquez, while leaving Argentina's Messi and Spain's Andres Iniesta and Bojan Krkic on the bench. The quintet were all involved in World Cup qualifiers over the past week. Instead, the 37-year-old coach handed league debuts to midfielder Sergio Busquets and forward Pedro Rodriguez. Pedro tested Santander goalkeeper Tono Rodriguez with a low drive in the 18th minute but the home team failed to make the breakthrough against Santander's massed defense in the first half. Barcelona's problems increased when former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb, making his home league debut, was brought down by right back Pablo Pinillos' fierce tackle in the 38th minute and replaced by Iniesta. Initial reports said Hleb has strained left knee ligaments and will be sidelined for two weeks. Barcelona right back Daniel Alves then chipped onto the bar in the 46th minute, with Tono again denying Pedro in the 58th, a minute before Messi appeared as a substitute. Inter edges Catania In Rome, Serie A champion Inter Milan came from behind to beat Catania 2-1 with 10 men at the San Siro on Saturday thanks to an own goal from Christian Terlizzi. Gianvito Plasmati headed the visitors in front against the run of play on 42 minutes but Inter leveled almost immediately when Serie A debutant Ricardo Quaresma's attempted cross took a big deflection off Giuseppe Mascara on its way into the net. The host got another lucky break three minutes into the second half when defender Terlizzi's header was adjudged to have gone in off the post. Inter's Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari had been shown a straight red card on the stroke of halftime for shoving his hand into the face of Giacomo Tedesco, who fell theatrically. The win puts Inter top with four points from two games. Earlier, Fabrizio Miccoli struck twice as Palermo beat injury-hit AS Roma 3-1 at home to give new coach Davide Ballardini a winning start.
