Karim Benzema scored twice for Real Madrid in a 3-2 win against Levante with Eden Hazard making his La Liga debut while later Barcelona breezed to a 5-2 win against Valencia on Saturday with more magic from 16-year-old Ansu Fati.
Benzema's goals came just six minutes apart in the first half at a wet Santiago Bernabeu, before Casemiro put Real 3-0 up.
However Levante, who had won their previous two outings, made a fight of it in the second half as they pulled goals back through Borja Mayoral and Gonzalo Melero.
"The second half was more difficult for us, but the overall feeling was positive," said coach Zinedine Zidane, whose team had drawn their previous two games.
"We have got the three points and we were incredible in the first half, the way we played, the goals, the commitment. We just need to stay focused for the full 90 minutes."
Hazard also came off the bench for the final half-hour to make his first La Liga appearance after a thigh injury had interrupted the start of his Real career following his 100 million-euro ($110 million) move from Chelsea.
Courtois wasn't entirely convinced by Hazard's La Liga debut. pic.twitter.com/BhrB8S2qUv
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 14, 2019
The Belgian could now start when Real go to Paris Saint-Germain for their opening Champions League game on Wednesday.
"I am happy for him," said Zidane. "He will do us good. He is not ready yet though -- he has only trained four times with the team. But when everyone is fit, when we have our rhythm, we will hurt teams."
Gareth Bale will also be available to face PSG after suspension kept him out here, but Sergio Ramos will be unable to play because of a European ban.
19 - Karim Benzema ?? has scored 19 goals in La Liga in 2019, only Lionel Messi & Kylian Mbappe (21 each) have scored more in the Top 5 European leagues. Fire. pic.twitter.com/1Yz4wjqf5W
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) September 14, 2019
Zidane was also without the injured Luka Modric here. However, as well as Hazard, fellow summer signing Eder Militao came off the bench in the second half and the former Porto defender could start in Paris.
Real would have won by a greater margin here had it not been for some inspired goalkeeping from Aitor Fernandez, who produced a stunning one-handed stop to keep out a Benzema shot midway through the first half.
Atletico Madrid retained their place at the top of the table, but only by one point from Real Madrid after their first defeat of the season when they lost 2-0 at Real Sociedad at the Basque club's newly refurbished stadium.
FT: Real Sociedad 2-0 Atletico Madrid
— Infinite Madrid (@InfiniteMadrid) September 14, 2019
Martin Ødegaard scored his 2nd LaLiga goal of the season. ?? pic.twitter.com/Fgi0Z4X8gy
Later, former Real Madrid assistant coach Albert Celades replaced sacked Marcelino Garcia Toral as boss of Valencia who were routed 5-2 at Barcelona.
With Lionel Messi still out and watching from the stands it was left to Fati, the teenager from Guinea-Bissau, to take the plaudits.
Fati, who became the third youngest La Liga scorer when he came off the bench to net in a 2-2 draw at Osasuna this month, scored again in the second minute, before providing the assist for Frenkie de Jong's 7th minute goal.
Ansu Fati had 13 touches inside the opposition box during his 60 minutes on the pitch vs. Valencia, scoring one and providing an assist.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 14, 2019
Only Carles Pérez (16 vs. Real Betis) has had more in a LaLiga game this season. pic.twitter.com/VzjmbdoP1o
The teenager earned his standing ovation from the Camp Nou crowd when he came off after an hour.
Ansu Fati is the youngest player in the history of La Liga to both score and assist a goal in the same game (16 years and 318 days). [via @LaLigaenDirecto] pic.twitter.com/wwpntNXKZd
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) September 14, 2019
Ansu Fati needed 3 La Liga games to score his first 2 goals.
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 14, 2019
Lionel Messi needed 13 games. pic.twitter.com/36nNAqnm9b
Kevin Gameiro got Valencia off the mark but a brace from the fit again Luis Suarez after a contribution from Gerard Pique meant Max Gomez's injury time second for the visitors was purely academic.
RESULTS
Real Madrid 3 (Benzema 25, 31, Casemiro 40) Levante 2 (Mayoral 49, Melero 75)
Leganes 0 Villarreal 3 (Gerard 26, 90+3, Silva 39-og)
Real Sociedad 2 (Odegaard 58, Monreal 61) Atletico Madrid 0
Barcelona 5 (Fati 2, De Jong 7, Pique 51, Suarez 61, 82) Valencia 2 (Gameiro 27, Gómez 90+2)
Spanish La Liga table after Saturday's match
(played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):
Atletico Madrid 4 3 0 1 5 4 9
Real Madrid 4 2 2 0 9 6 8
Athletic Bilbao 4 2 2 0 4 1 8
Barcelona 4 2 1 1 12 7 7
Sevilla 3 2 1 0 4 1 7
Real Sociedad 4 2 1 1 4 3 7
Levante 4 2 0 2 6 5 6
Villarreal 4 1 2 1 10 8 5
Osasuna 3 1 2 0 3 2 5
Alaves 3 1 2 0 2 1 5
Granada 3 1 1 1 7 5 4
Celta Vigo 3 1 1 1 3 4 4
Valladolid 3 1 1 1 3 4 4
Valencia 4 1 1 2 5 7 4
Real Mallorca 4 1 1 2 2 4 4
Real Betis 3 1 0 2 5 8 3
Getafe 3 0 2 1 2 3 2
Eibar 3 0 1 2 3 5 1
Espanyol 3 0 1 2 0 5 1
Leganes 4 0 0 4 1 7 0