Barca Debut Ends In Disaster For Mascherano

Champions Barcelona suffered a
humiliating 2-0 home defeat by
Hercules on Saturday when
Nelson Valdez struck twice to
give the tiny promoted club a
shock La Liga victory at the Nou
Camp.
Barca had not lost at home in the
league since May 2009 when
they went down 1-0 to Osasuna
having already secured the title
but Paraguay striker Valdez
scored either side of halftime to
help Alicante-based Hercules pull
off one of the biggest giantkilling
acts of recent seasons.

David Trezeguet, who joined
from Juventus in the close
season, should have made it
three for the visitors in the 89th
minute when he had the goal at
his mercy but keeper Victor
Valdes scrambled across to deny
the France striker.
Javier Mascherano had a Barca
debut to forget. The former
Liverpool midfielder was booked
in the 19h minute for a foul and
lucky to escape a second yellow
card for a cynical challenge on
Drenthe a few minutes late
before he was taken off at half-
time.