Bilbao too strong for Hercules

Spanish World Cup winner Fernando Llorente scored the decisive goal as Athletic Bilbao won 1-0 at promoted Hercules on Saturday in the curtain-raiser to the 2010/11 La Liga season.

After a scoreless first half the 25-year-old Llorente powered in a header 60 seconds after the restart for the first goal of the new season and it was enough to give Bilbao the three points.

Bilbao finished an impressive eighth last season and hope to be pushing for a European spot once again, having held on to their Spanish international stars Llorente and Javi Martinez.

Hercules had their chances with Javier Portillo — once tipped for great things as a youngster with Real Madrid — the main culprit, spurning two opportunities.

The newcomers, back in the top flight for the first time since 1997, rued their misses and Argentine Matias Fritzler collected the first red card of the season in the final minute to cap a disappointing night for Hercules.

Sevilla are in action later on Saturday, looking to to put their Champions League qualifying loss to Braga behind them against promoted Levante.

Coach Antonio Alvarez has come under real criticism for failing to qualify for the Champions League and needs a win to appease the disgruntled Sevilla supporters.

Valencia have Champions League football to look forward to, with a tantalising draw against Manchester United in the group stage, but for now the league is the priority and they kick off with a trip to Malaga on Saturday.

On Sunday Jose Mourinho leads out Real Madrid for the first time when his side travel to a Real Mallorca team managed by Real old boy Michael Laudrup.

Mourinho has been brought in on a bumper contract to try and break Barcelona’s stranglehold on La Liga and put the club back among Europe’s elite.

Champions Barcelona begin their defence on Sunday at Racing Santander and have been busy fine-tuning their squad with the capture of Argentina captain Javier Mascherano from Liverpool for a reported 22 million euros.

“We needed him (Mascherano),” said Barca coach Pep Guardiola. “He brings a lot of things to the team and I don’t want any debate about what position he plays. Mascherano and (Sergi) Busquets can play together.”

The future of forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still up in the air, with the club record signing omitted from the squad to face Santander after a fall-out with Guardiola, who seems willing to let him leave if a deal can be reached with AC Milan.

European Super Cup winners Atletico Madrid, who beat Inter Milan 2-0 in Friday’s showpiece game in Monaco, are in action on Monday when they entertain Sporting Gijon.