Welcome to The Euro Debrief, a fresh Sky Sports column where Adam Bate distills the most compelling narratives from the latest continental fixtures. This week’s roundup covers everything from a classic Harry Kane strike to surprising developments in LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie.
In Germany, the Bayern Munich faithful finally saw a familiar sight: a signature Harry Kane finish that halted the surprising rise of Elversberg. The England captain, now wearing the Bayern colours, netted his 150th goal for the club in the 72nd minute – a poacher’s effort that echoed his World Cup winner against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The goal not only secured a 2-1 victory for the Bavarians but also marked the first defeat for the newly promoted side. Bayern, however, have yet to reclaim the top spot in the Bundesliga. That honor currently belongs to Freiburg, who thrashed a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach 5-0.
The defeat prompted Gladbach to dismiss head coach Eugen Polanski, who lamented after the Elversberg loss, "We did so many things wrong – something that is inexplicable to me." His frustration only deepened after the Freiburg drubbing, leaving Gladbach looking like a likely relegation candidate after barely surviving last season. Further down the table, Borussia Dortmund maintained their perfect start to the campaign. Felix Nmecha delivered a brace of spectacular goals in a 3-0 win over Paderborn, while Portuguese youngster Fabio Silva, making his first Bundesliga start of the season, supplied the assist.
Silva’s fourth goal of the campaign already surpasses his total from the entire previous season, highlighting his rapid adaptation after injuries sidelined the club’s high‑profile Greek signings. Schalke, Dortmund’s fierce rivals, celebrated their first Bundesliga triumph since returning to the top flight, edging Union Berlin 1-3 while possessing barely a third of the possession.
Meanwhile, Werder Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug added another goal to his tally, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s keeper Noah Atubolu extended his remarkable penalty‑saving streak to six consecutive spot‑kicks in a 3-1 win at Mainz. The full slate of Bundesliga results was as follows: Union Berlin 1-3 Schalke, Augsburg 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Paderborn, Freiburg 5-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hoffenheim 2-1 Stuttgart, Mainz 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt, Cologne 1-1 Werder Bremen, RB Leipzig 5-0 Hamburg, Elversberg 1-2 Bayern Munich. Turning to Spain, Barcelona’s recent form has shown signs of fatigue.
After scoring five goals across their last two away outings, they were held to four against Levante, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal netting a brace, one of them from the spot. Raphinha appeared to cede some creative responsibilities, perhaps to bolster his Ballon d'Or credentials.
Karim Adeyemi produced what many considered the best goal of the match, underscoring the firepower at manager Hansi Flick’s disposal. Yet defensive frailties remain a concern; whether stronger opponents will exploit Barcelona’s leaky back line remains to be seen, though the team’s 19‑goal haul in four games suggests they can still outscore most rivals.
In LaLiga, Real Madrid rebounded from a loss to Real Betis with a convincing 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabéu. Kylian Mbappé, on loan, opened the scoring and finished the tally, while Jude Bellingham also found the net. New signing Yan Diomande earned his first start, prompting manager José Mourinho to comment, "He has a lot to learn tactically, but his potential is immense." Mourinho was equally effusive about Diomande’s substitute, Arda Güler, who supplied the assist for Mbappé’s second goal and created five chances after entering in the 72nd minute – the most of any player on the pitch.
The £120 million acquisition of Güler raises questions about Madrid’s recruitment strategy, as the squad already boasts an abundance of attacking talent. Some observers argue that a more defensive midfielder might have been a wiser investment, especially given that Rodri cannot single‑handedly resolve Barcelona’s defensive issues. Valencia’s woes continued, culminating in the dismissal of Carlos Corberán after a defeat to Sevilla. The club’s poor start has alarmed supporters, particularly as the long‑awaited Nou Mestalla stadium nears completion, raising the stakes for a prompt return to the top flight.
In the northwestern region of Galicia, Deportivo A Coruña are enjoying a renaissance led by veteran Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang. The 37‑year‑old striker has scored in each of the first five league fixtures, inching toward the all‑time LaLiga record of seven consecutive games with a goal.
LaLiga results for the round were: Sevilla 1-0 Valencia, Racing Santander 2-1 Alavés, Osasuna 0-2 Espanyol, Athletic Club 1-1 Elche, Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano, Celta Vigo 1-1 Málaga, Levante 2-4 Barcelona, Getafe 1-1 Deportivo A Coruña, Real Sociedad 0-3 Atlético Madrid. In Italy, AC Milan clawed back from a 0-2 halftime deficit to draw 2-2 with Lazio, thanks to a bold triple substitution by manager Rúben Amorim.
He introduced Luka Modrić, Ruben Loftus‑Cheek and Pervis Estupiñán, moves that paid off when summer signing Diego Moreira scored both Milan goals. Amorim admitted, "We earned a point, but we must improve; you cannot rely on one half of the game." The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was charged, with a majority of the crowd backing Milan amid ongoing protests by Lazio supporters against club president Claudio Lotito. Despite the unrest, Lazio remain unbeaten this season. Juventus, however, saw their unbeaten Serie A run snapped when Vasilije Adžić, a 20‑year‑old Montenegro international on loan at Sassuolo, netted a 94th‑minute winner after Juventus had equalised in stoppage time.
A highlight from the Italian weekend came from teenager Franco Mastantuono, who recorded a hat‑trick for Fiorentina in a 4-2 triumph over Venezia, offering a bright spot after the sacking of Fiorentina’s coach Fabio Grosso. Serie A results: Venezia 2-4 Fiorentina, Genoa 1-1 Frosinone, Lazio 2-2 AC Milan, Atalanta 1-2 Cagliari, Lecce 3-2 Monza, Napoli 1-0 Bologna, Sassuolo 3-2 Juventus. In France, Paris Saint‑Germain finally secured their first Ligue 1 win of the season, with Ferran Torres scoring the solitary goal at Brest. The match was notable for manager Luis Enrique wearing a "King Eric" shirt in tribute to former Brest coach Eric Roy, who passed away in June.
Lille surged to the top of the table thanks to a strike from Ethan Mbappé, the younger brother of Kylian. New coach Davide Ancelotti has overseen a solid start despite losing several star players in the summer transfer window. Lille are now one of five unbeaten sides.
Rennes also remain unbeaten, having handed Marseille a third consecutive defeat. Meanwhile, Paris FC and Lyon drew 0-0, and Monaco salvaged a point at Strasbourg thanks to a spectacular goal from Paris Brunner, a youngster showing immense promise.
Cameron Archer, on loan from Southampton to Auxerre, earned praise after scoring the winning goal against Nice, giving his former boss Will Still his first points in charge. Archer’s movement – timing a run behind the defense and calmly rounding the keeper – highlighted his rapid adaptation to French football.
Ligue 1 results: Rennes 1-0 Marseille, Strasbourg 1-1 Monaco, Auxerre 1-0 Nice, Le Havre 0-0 Angers, Lorient 2-2 Toulouse, Paris FC 0-0 Lyon, Lille 2-0 Troyes, Le Mans 2-2 Lens, Brest 0-1 PSG. In the Netherlands, Davy Klaassen made Eredivisie history by scoring for Ajax at 24 different stadiums, a feat previously only achieved by Johan Cruyff.
Ajax won that match 5-1 at Fortuna Sittard. Feyenoord displayed offensive firepower with a seven‑goal haul at PEC Zwolle, while PSV’s 4-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam was pivotal, propelling the defending champions back to the summit after AZ Alkmaar slipped up against Willem II. Portugal’s Primeira Liga saw Sporting drop points in stoppage time at Famalicão despite the home side being reduced to ten men.
Both Porto and Benfica rallied from behind to win, setting the stage for an exciting "O Clássico" next weekend. Overall, the weekend delivered a mixture of individual brilliance, managerial intrigue and unexpected twists across Europe’s top leagues, providing plenty of material for the next edition of The Euro Debrief.