Barca held by 10-man Racing

A lethargic-looking Barcelona were held to a 0-0 draw by 10-man Racing Santander in their opening match of the season on Sunday.

The Catalans, who spent over 65 million euros ($88 million) on new players including France striker Thierry Henry during the close season, were outplayed by their modest opponents who are one of the lowest spenders in the Primera Liga.

Barca dominated possession but their sluggish passing and lack of spark up front meant that Racing had little problem holding them even after Polish debutant Ebi Smolarek was sent off midway through the second half.

Villarreal, who ended last season on an eight match winning run, picked up where they left off with an emphatic 3-0 victory over regional rivals Valencia, who were reduced to nine men after red cards for striker David Villa and winger Joaquin.