MADRID — Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick but Luis Suarez scored in the second half to give Barcelona a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in its Spanish league opener Sunday. That gave the defending champion a small gap on archrival Real Madrid right away, as Rafa Benitez started his stint in charge with a 0-0 draw at promoted side Sporting Gijon. Suarez netted the winner from close range after a left-flank cross by Jordi Alba in the 54th minute at Bilbao's San Mames Stadium. Messi had a chance to open the scoring in the first half after a disputed foul on Suarez inside the area, but the Argentine playmaker had his low shot from the spot saved by goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. “We won the game and that's what's important,” Suarez said. A disappointing result in the opener would have raised more questions about Barcelona after an unusually difficult start to the season. The club was stunned by Bilbao last week in the Spanish Super Cup final, losing the title 5-1 on aggregate. Bilbao presented the Super Cup trophy to the nearly 50,000 fans that packed the San Mames Sunday, but the team could not keep its momentum going against the Spanish powerhouse. Madrid, trying to end a three-year title drought in La Liga, dominated at the El Molinon Stadium but couldn't capitalize on its scoring chances, including a few good ones involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Sporting Gijon goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar made a great save on Ronaldo's shot in the 84th to keep the deadlock intact. After the final whistle, Sporting Gijon players and fans celebrated the result in the team's return to the top flight. In other games it was: Levante 1, Celta Vigo 2; and Real Betis 1, Villarreal 1. Juventus and Milan fall In Milan, Udinese stunned Juventus by winning 1-0 in Turin Sunday as the Italian champion's bid for a record-equaling fifth successive league title started with its first loss in 48 Serie A home matches. Juventus dominated but was unable to finish any of its many chances and Udinese made the host team pay when Cyril Thereau scored 12 minutes from time with one of his side's few opportunities. The Bianconeri's last league defeat at the Juventus Stadium was on Jan. 6, 2013, against Sampdoria. In the evening matches, Fiorentina eased past 10-man AC Milan 2-0, while Sassuolo beat Napoli for the first time in Serie A, coming from behind to win 2-1. Inter Milan snatched a 1-0 win over 10-man Atalanta; Newly-promoted Carpi missed a penalty in its first ever match in Serie A as it lost 5-2 at Sampdoria. Frosinone was also playing in the top flight for the first time in its history and lost 2-1 at home to Torino. Elsewhere, Chievo Verona won 3-1 at Empoli and Palermo beat Genoa 1-0 with a stoppage-time strike from Abdelhamid El Kaoutari. — Agencies
