Barcelona made a nightmare start to the defence of their La Liga title by losing Luis Suarez to injury and then losing 1-0 to Athletic Bilbao, after a sensational late volley from substitute Aritz Aduriz.
Suarez hobbled off in the 37th minute with what looked like a calf injury before Aduriz came on in the 88th, the 38-year-old striker who has announced he will retire at the end of the season.
This was a spectacular start to the finale as Aduriz threw himself into the air and acrobatically volleyed past Marc-Andre ter Stegen to send San Mames wild on La Liga's opening night on Friday.
"The competition has put us in our place," said Gerard Pique afterwards.
"We were not us."
- 'Beautiful football' -
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"It will be impossible not to miss this but everything has a beginning and an end. I am incredibly grateful to be able to choose this ending."