Osasuna and Almeria started their respective Primera Division campaigns with a goalless draw at the Reyno de Navarra.

In a game of few clear-cut chances, Almeria finished up with 10 men following the late dismissal of centre-back Carlos Garcia, but there was not enough time for Osasuna to take advantage.

Osasuna came into the match on the back of a poor season in which they lost five of eight friendlies and won just once, and they looked nervous at the outset as Almeria twice went close.

The first saw Albert Crusat burst into the area in just the second minute but he side-footed wide of the post with only Ricardo Lopez to beat.

A poor attempted back-pass from Osasuna new boy Damia Abella was then intercepted by Miguel Angel Corona, but Ricardo was out quickly to dive at the Almeria man's feet and save his team-mate's blushes.

Another Osasuna defensive mistake was almost capitalised on by Corona towards the end of the first half before the home side, whose only decent chance of the period saw Carlos Aranda test Almeria goalkeeper Diego Alves, finally got going after the break.

The Pamplona-based side looked much improved in the second half, but despite pumping ball after ball into the area, they created little to trouble Alves.

Almeria lost Garcia to a red card deep into injury-time after his elbow caught Walter Pandiani in the head as the pair challenged for a high ball, but it was too late to affect the outcome.