MADRID - Barcelona's 100 percent start to La Liga season was brought to a stunning end as Celta Vigo thrashed the European champions 4-1 on Wednesday.
Real Madrid took advantage Barca's defeat to move a point clear of the Catalans at the top of the table thanks to Karim Benzema's double in a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao. Celta sit second behind Madrid on goal difference as they deservedly stormed into a 2-0 half-time lead at Balaidos through former Barca forward Nolito and Liverpool reject Iago Aspas.
Barca's first league defeat since February was sealed when Aspas struck again on the counter-attack early in the second period. Neymar pulled a goal back for the visitors, but Celta rightly had the final word as John Guidetti rounded off a famous win with the Galicians' fourth nine minutes from time.
It is the third time Barca have conceded four goals in just nine games this season having been thrashed 4-0 by Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup and beaten Sevilla 5-4 in the UEFA Super Cup. "We can only congratulate Celta," said coach Luis Enrique, who left Celta to take over at the Camp Nou last year. "They played a very complete game, created chances and won all the one-on-one situations. The level of their football and effectiveness in front of goal was very good."
Celta took the lead on 25 minutes when Nolito found space inside the area and curled the ball perfectly high into the far corner. Things got worse for Barca just four minutes later when an error from Pique allowed Nolito to play in Aspas, who remained calm before expertly clipping the ball over the helpless Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Aspas had a great chance to put the game to bed five minutes into the second half, but this time he pulled his shot just wide of the target. The hosts then had to withstand a brief Barca onslaught as Lionel Messi struck the post from Andres Iniesta's cut-back. Gerard Pique then headed just over and Messi saw another powerful effort turned behind by Sergio Alvarez.
Yet, from the resulting corner, Celta's lightning speed and accuracy shone through as Aspas hooked the ball over Dani Alves and sprinted half the length of the field before slotting home his second of the night. Nolito should have made it 4-0 when he side-footed just wide as Celta broke dangerously again from another Barca corner.
Neymar finally got Barca on the scoresheet as he controlled a fantastic pass from Messi before smashing the ball home. Celta needed just two minutes to restore their three-goal lead when former Celtic and Manchester City striker Guidetti took advantage of more slack Barca marking to fire home his first goal in Spanish football.
In Bilbao, Madrid were gifted the lead on 19 minutes when Benzema pounced on an under-hit back-pass from Mikel San Jose to net for the fifth consecutive game. Cristiano Ronaldo's wait to surpass Raul as Real's top-scorer continued as his best effort of the night was beaten away by Gorka Iraizoz moments later.
Athletic grew into the game as the half wore on and only a fine save from Keylor Navas prevented Aritz Aduriz bringing the Basques level before the break. There was nothing Navas could do to prevent conceding his first goal of the season midway through the second period when Sabin Merino rounded off a fine team move with a diving header at the back post to equalise. But Athletic were only level for three minutes as they afforded way too much room to Isco on the right as his low cross was swept home by Benzema.