Racing Club returns to Spain's top flight with a draw after 14 years

Racing Club de Santander played its first La Liga match on Sunday since 2012. In the intervening years the club had dropped as far as Spain's third tier, before winning the second division last season and earning promotion back to the top flight.

In their home match against Villareal, Racing Club scored first through a penalty converted by Andres Martin. Sergio Martinez doubled the lead in the 34th minute. However, the visitors equalized with two quick goals just before halftime. No further goals were scored in the second half, and the match finished 2:2, giving the Santander side a point on their return to the elite.

Other results

In the other Sunday fixture, Barcelona-based Espanyol beat Valencia's Levante 3:0 at home. Roberto Fernandez scored twice, with Terris Dolan adding another goal.

The season's opening round is being played out over an unusually long stretch, as Barcelona and Real Madrid gave their players extended rest — both clubs' players formed a large part of the Spanish national team that won the World Cup in mid-July. As a result, while the Madrid and Barcelona giants have yet to start their season, other teams will already have played two matches. Several clubs' schedules have also become mixed up: Celta Vigo, for instance, will play its round-one fixture on August 27, while its round-two match is set for August 22.