Derby joy for Real

Real Madrid players are ecstatic after midfielder Wesley Sneijder scored the winning goal to give them victory in their opening day derby clash against Atletico Madrid in the Primera Liga on Saturday.Photo: AFP

Real Madrid began the post-David Beckham era on Saturday with the man who has taken his number 23 shirt securing a 2-1 derby win over Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu as la Liga resumed.
Wesley Sneijder, who signed this summer from Ajax for 35 million dollars, roughly the same fee Real paid Manchester United for Beckham in 2003, fired home the winner following a quick Guti freekick.
Raul had earlier headed in from a Sergio Ramos cross on 14 minutes to equalise after Argentine prodigy Sergio 'Kun' Aguero had nodded the visitors in front inside the opening minute.
After a win which followed six defeats in pre-season warm-ups, Raul said he was delighted with the "new" Real, who nonetheless only fielded three of the eight players signed in the close season with the likes of Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze kept in reserve.
"We were much better than in some of the previous ganes and we have to keep it up. We got the three points and I feel just great," Raul said.
New German coach Bernd Schuster was also satisfied after a gritty showing which was a far cry from the 'galactico' era of the likes of Beckham.
"We played well in a hard-fought derby. We didn't have any weak points and we really pushed ourselves to seal the win," said Schuster, who as a player won a host of Liga honours playing for both Madrid clubs as well as Barcelona and has been able to shell out 120 million euros (170 million dollars) on new talent since replacing Fabio Capello.
"It would have been a pity, given the chances we missed, only to draw.
Atletico's Mexican coach Javier Aguirre was less impressed.
"It wasn't a fair result. We deserved a draw or maybe even more," he insisted after Atletico stretched their Bernabeu drought to nine seasons.
Spain's Tour de France cycling champion Alberto Contador handed the championship trophy to Real skipper Raul before kick-off and the former then formally kicked off the campaign before a sellout 80,000 crowd.
The hosts also left German international defender Christoph Metzelder on the bench to begin with before he replaced Italian world champion Fabio Cannavaro, suffering from an ankle knock sustained in training.
Javier Aguirre's Atletico, inspired by their own expensive new recruits including Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan and Portuguese forward Simao shook Real by taking the lead after 56 seconds.
Mario Andres Pernia set over a corner from the right and compatriot Aguero nodded in from point blank range.
Raul then leapt high to power in a header from a tantalising Sergio Ramos cross on the flank where David Beckham was providing much of the ammunition during the title run-in.
It was Guti, as so often in the past, who unlocked the door to victory, his slide rule freekick pounced on by Sneijder, who stroked home a low shot.
The visitors almost snatched a point on 81 minutes when Greek defender Giorgios Seitaridis crossed from the right and Forlan slid home only to be given offside as the red-and-white side of the capital failed to repeat last season's stalemate which ended 1-1.
They left new recruit Jose Antonio Reyes, who spent last season on loan from Arsenal with Real and scored the last-day goals which won the title, on the bench until the hour mark but he made little difference thereafter.
UEFA Cup winners Seville opened their campaign with a 4-1 thrashing of Schuster's former side Getafe, now coached by Dane Michael Laudrup and also the side they beat in the Spanish Cup final, while Murcia edged Real Zaragoza, aspirants for a top five finish, 2-1.
Pablo Hernandez netted a brilliant freekick for Getafe in the opening minute but the visitors then had Francisco Sousa and David Cortes red-carded before the break.
Seville took advantage and second half goals from Jesus Navas, Luis Fabiano, Freddy Kanoute and Alex Kerzhakov completed the win.
Barcelona, looking to make it three titles in four seasons coach Frank Rijkaard, after shelling out 70 million euros on the likes of French striker Thierry Henry and defensive stars Eric Abidal and Gabriel Milito, will send his men out at Santander on Sunday.