Welcome to The Euro Debrief, the latest Sky Sports column where Adam Bate distils the most compelling stories from this week’s continental fixtures. This edition covers a whirlwind of action across Spain, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands and beyond. In Spain, Barcelona seized the initiative after Real Madrid stumbled at Real Betis, propelling the Catalans to the summit of LaLiga.
A five‑goal demolition of Valencia at the Mestalla saw several players step into the spotlight. Pedri earned a standing ovation from the home crowd for his creative spark, while teenage sensation Lamine Yamal stole the show with a brace and the highest number of chances created on the pitch. Fermin López added a goal, assisted by Anthony Gordon, and also set up two further chances. Valencia, who introduced Harvey Elliott on his debut, could not find an answer to the Barcelona onslaught.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s Madrid will need to raise their level dramatically if they hope to keep pace with a resurgent Barca. Their recent defeat in Seville, where a missed late penalty by Kylian Mbappé left them empty‑handed, highlighted a worrying lack of composure. In that Sevilla match, Madrid squandered five clear opportunities in the first half alone before Troy Parrott, on his home debut, pounced on a rebound to score.
The Irish forward, once given his Premier League debut by Mourinho at Tottenham, celebrated his goal with a mixture of awe and emotion as Betis fans cheered him on at La Cartuja. Parrott’s journey from a promising youngster at AZ Alkmaar to a key figure in Madrid’s attack underscores his resilience and hunger for new challenges.
He told Sky Sports, "It’s about experiencing new things. Not many people get that chance, so trying something different is exciting.
Life is short, and I’m thinking beyond football too." Mourinho, who had enjoyed a relatively calm start to the season, hinted at familiar frustrations after the loss, accusing Betis – coached by his former rival Manuel Pellegrini – of cynical fouling and lamenting his own side’s naivety. Whether this signals deeper tactical turmoil remains to be seen. Other Spanish highlights included a thrilling 3‑2 victory for Deportivo A Coruna over Villarreal, marking the newly promoted side’s continued rise. Adama Traoré even managed an unusual headed own‑goal on his debut, yet Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang, rejuvenated at Deportivo, secured the winner in the 88th minute.
The 37‑year‑old, a former Arsenal and Barcelona striker, has now scored in each of his first four games for the Galician club, keeping them unbeaten. The full round‑of‑matches in LaLiga featured a mix of stalemates and high‑scoring affairs: Real Sociedad 0‑0 Celta Vigo, Real Betis 1‑0 Real Madrid, Athletic Club 3‑0 Atletico Madrid, Rayo Vallecano 3‑2 Racing Santander, Villarreal 2‑3 Deportivo A Coruna, Valencia 0‑5 Barcelona, Alaves 5‑2 Osasuna, Malaga 0‑0 Levante, and Espanyol 1‑1 Sevilla.
Turning north to Germany, the most dramatic story came from Elversberg, a club that only four years ago competed in regional leagues. They achieved their first ever Bundesliga away win, overturning a two‑goal deficit to triumph 4‑3 against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Their earlier 2‑1 opening‑week victory over Bayer Leverkusen proved no fluke; Elversberg’s enterprising style is quickly becoming a season‑long narrative. According to technical director Josef Welzmüller, the village side now sit two points ahead of Bayern Munich in the table, a remarkable feat given Bayern’s recent goalless draw against a resolute Schalke side.
Schalke, with only 17 % possession, relied on a disciplined defensive philosophy articulated by coach Miron Muslić: "We have no possession because we do not want possession." Their approach frustrated Bayern, even denying Harry Kane with a spectacular save by Loris Karius. Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Stuttgart rebounded from a heavy loss to Bayern with a commanding win, while Borussia Dortmund staged a comeback against Hoffenheim, turning a 0‑2 deficit into a 3‑2 victory thanks to Serhou Guirassy’s finish, Fabio Silva’s assist, and a late own‑goal by Albian Hajdari after an Ethan Nwaneri cross.
Augsburg also produced a stunning performance, scoring four second‑half goals to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 4‑1 and climb to the top of the table. In Italy, Massimiliano Allegri’s Napoli entered the San Siro with a 2‑0 lead over Inter, only to see the game snatched away in stoppage time when Lautaro Martínez netted his second goal to secure a 3‑2 win for the Nerazzurri. Martínez’s strike moved him into third place on Inter’s all‑time Serie A scoring list, trailing only legends Giuseppe Meazza and Benito Lorenzi.
Across the country, Roma, under Gian Piero Gasperini, rallied from behind to defeat Atalanta 2‑1 with a 93rd‑minute winner, marking the 39th shot taken by Roma – the highest total by any team in Europe’s major leagues this season. Further Serie A action saw Como dominate Genoa 4‑0, while Fiorentina’s coach Fabio Grosso was dismissed after Torino’s Che Adams secured a late winner that left Fiorentina winless in three games. Juventus and AC Milan played out a 1‑1 draw in Turin, with both sides preserving unbeaten streaks; Juventus equalised through substitute Federico Gatti after a solitary shot on target from Milan’s Alphonso Davies. In Ligue 1, Monaco continued their impressive start by beating Paris Saint‑Germain 2‑1 at the Parc des Princes, with Stanis Idumbo delivering the decisive goal from a tight angle.
PSG’s goalkeeper Matvey Safonov faced criticism, and speculation grew about the possible return of Lucas Chevalier. Meanwhile, Lyon overcame Auxerre 3‑1 despite a debut goal from Southampton loanee Cameron Archer, and Strasbourg smashed Troyes 6‑2 to become the league’s highest‑scoring side.
Paris FC’s Liam Rosenior celebrated a 3‑2 victory over Marseille, with Lassine Sinayoko netting a hat‑trick. The Dutch Eredivisie delivered its usual drama as PSV edged out Ajax 3‑1, reaffirming their dominance over their historic rivals. Ajax’s technical director Jordi Cruyff oversaw a massive squad overhaul, bringing in experienced names such as Marc‑Andre ter Stegen, Thilo Kehrer, Daley Blind and Sofyan Amrabat to stabilise the side while nurturing young talent.
Telstar provided a feel‑good story when Ronald Koeman Jr. converted two penalties to help his side salvage a draw after being two goals down. Portugal’s champions Porto maintained their perfect record with a 2‑1 comeback win over Moreirense, while in Turkey, Besiktas overturned a 1‑2 deficit at home to defeat Fenerbahçe, with Dusan Vlahović adding a second‑half goal after his earlier hat‑trick.
This result left Fenerbahçe four points behind league leaders Galatasaray, who secured a late winner against Başakşehir. Across the continent, the week was defined by comebacks, surprise victories and the emergence of young stars.
From Troy Parrott’s emotional debut goal in Spain to Elversberg’s fairy‑tale rise in Germany, the Euro Debrief captures the excitement and unpredictability that make European football so compelling. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million! Enter for free.