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Later Saturday, UEFA Cup winners Sevilla came from behind to thrash nine-men Getafe 4-1 in a repeat of last year's cup final, while Zaragoza were surprisingly beaten 2-1 away by newly-promoted Murcia.

 Real picked up where they left off last season, coming from behind to win with a late goal.

 Dutch newcomer Wesley Sneijder scored the vital goal in the 79th minute, with the help of a cruel deflection.

 "I think a draw would have been a fairer result," said Atletico striker Sergio Aguero, who had given his team the lead in the very first minute.

 Aguero headed Atleti ahead after just 57 seconds, after a Mariano Pernia corner was headed on by Maniche.

 But Real took control from then on and captain Raul Gonzalez levelled in the 15th minute by heading in a centre from Sergio Ramos. Ramos almost put Real ahead on the half hour, but his powerful header hit the Atleti post.

 Real continued to dominate in the second half, with Guti and Raul coming close.

 The winning goal came just 11 minutes from time. Guti played a short free-kick to Sneijder, whose shot deflected off Atleti's Pablo Ibanez and crept in the bottom corner.

 Three minutes later Diego Forlan seem to have equalized for Atletico only to be correctly ruled offside.

 In injury time Real keeper Iker Casillas had to be on his toes to keep out a lob from Aguero.

 "This was a good way for us to start," said Guti at the end, "with us showing how strong we are mentally."

   Sevilla's blushes were spared with second-half goals from Jesus Navas, Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute against a Getafe team now coached by Michael Laudrup.

 Pablo Hernandez had given Getafe a shock lead after just minutes with a clever free-kick.

 Getafe were then crippled by sendings-off for midfielder Francisco Sousa and defender David Cortes.

 Navas levelled for Sevilla by heading in a Duda centre four minutes into the second half. In the 66th minute another perfect Duda centre was headed in by Fabiano.

 Kanoute made it 3-1 in the 70th minute with a classy flick, and Aleksandr Kerzhakov soon afterwards headed in the fourth.

 The only setback for Sevilla was left-back Antonio Puerta being taken to hospital after mysteriously collapsing on the field, without any opponent being close.

 Meanwhile, former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Mejia gave Murcia an early lead against Zaragoza, only for Ricardo Oliveira - on loan from AC Milan - to level with a handsome goal.

 A 1-1 draw seemed on the cards until Fernando Baiano hit the winner for the hosts eight minutes from time.

DPA