Madrid: With one run early in the second half of his Spanish league debut, teenage star Joao Felix gave Atletico Madrid fans a glimpse of the talent he can bring to the team this season.
The 19-year-old Portuguese forward, often touted at home as the next Cristiano Ronaldo, was behind the halfway line when he started his amazing run by niftily sending the ball through the legs of an opponent.
He quickly increased his speed with the ball at his feet to beat the next defender, then pulled off a step-over move to get past a third opponent before making it all the way to the penalty area, where he was finally brought down for a penalty kick.
“In one action he showed the potential that he has,” Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said after his revamped team’s 1-0 win over Getafe on Sunday. “We hope that with time these actions will become more regular.”
Alvaro Morata missed the penalty, but the striker had already scored in the first half to secure Atletico a winning start at home.
Morata scored after a well-placed cross by right back Kieran Trippier, who along with Felix was one of the many new players in an Atletico squad that was without Antoine Griezmann for the first time in five seasons.
Felix, Griezmann’s replacement after being signed from Benfica for more than 120 million euros, was substituted with an apparent leg injury midway through the second half, but the team later said it wasn’t serious.
“He had cramps, so we decided to replace him,” Simeone said. “He’s fine.”
Both teams finished the match with 10 men at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. Getafe striker Jorge Molina was shown a red card in the 38th for a foul from behind on Atletico midfielder Thomas Partey. Less than five minutes later, Renan Lodi — another newcomer for Atletico — was sent off with a second yellow for elbowing an opponent while jumping for a header.
Molina was initially shown a yellow card but the referee determined after video review that he deserved a red.
Getafe nearly pulled off an equaliser a few minutes from the end but Angel Rodriguez’s long-range shot hit the crossbar.
Morata got on the board with a header in the 23rd after the assist from Trippier, who played well in his first competitive game with Atletico since joining from Tottenham.
Morata missed a chance to increase Atletico’s lead when his shot from the spot following Felix’s great run was saved by goalkeeper David Soria.
“Unfortunately I missed it, but we got the victory, which was what mattered the most,” Morata said.
On Saturday, Real Madrid opened with a 3-1 win at Celta Vigo.
Two-time defending league champion Barcelona lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Friday.
Sevilla had a successful start under former Spain coach Julen Lopetegui with a 2-0 win at Espanyol.
Sergio Reguilon and Manuel “Nolito” Agudo scored in each half in Sevilla’s first competitive match with the new coach.
“We did well against a good team,” Nolito said. “It wasn’t easy, but we got the victory.”
Alaves beat Levante 1-0 at home with Joselu Sanmartin scoring the winner early in the second half, while Valladolid opened with a 2-1 win at Real Betis thanks to an 89th-minute goal by Oscar Plano.
Betis played with 10 men from the eighth minute after goalkeeper Joel Robles was shown a red card for breaking up a counterattack with a foul outside the area.
Results
Friday
Athletic Bilbao 1 Barcelona 0
Saturday
Celta Vigo 1 Real Madrid 3
Valencia 1 Real Sociedad 1
Mallorca 2 Eibar 1
Leganes 0 Osasuna 1
Villarreal 4 Granada 4
Sunday
Alaves 1 Levante 0
Espanyol 0 Sevilla 2
Real Betis 1 Valladolid 2
Atletico Madrid 1 Getafe 0
