Welcome to The Euro Debrief, a fresh Sky Sports column where Adam Bate pulls together the most compelling narratives from this week’s action across Europe. This edition covers a whirlwind of matches, standout performances and a few surprise twists.
In Germany, the long‑awaited breakthrough finally arrived for Bayern Munich when their new signing, England captain Harry Kane, delivered a classic finishing move to silence Elversberg. Kane’s 150th goal for Bayern came in the 72nd minute and bore a striking resemblance to his World Cup winner against the Democratic Republic of Congo, showcasing his trademark poise and clinical edge.
The victory marked Elversberg’s first defeat of the campaign. Despite the win, Bayern have yet to reclaim the top spot in the Bundesliga. Freiburg currently sit in first place after a dominant 5‑0 demolition of a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach side, a result that prompted Mönchengladbach to dismiss head coach Eugen Polanski. Polanski lamented after the Elversberg loss, "We did so many things wrong – something that is inexplicable to me," and the situation worsened in Freiburg, leaving Gladbach looking like early relegation candidates after barely surviving last season.
Further down the table, Borussia Dortmund kept their perfect record intact with a 3‑0 triumph over Paderborn, highlighted by a double from Felix Nmecha that added flair to the win. The match was set up by Portuguese youngster Fabio Silva, who made his first Bundesliga start of the season and already netted his fourth goal, surpassing his total from the previous campaign. Silva’s emergence is timely, as Dortmund have been coping with injuries to their high‑profile Greek signings. Schalke, Dortmund’s historic rivals, celebrated their first Bundesliga victory since returning to the top flight, edging Union Berlin 1‑3 while possessing just 34 % of the ball – a testament to their efficiency.
Meanwhile, Niclas Füllkrug continued his scoring run for Werder Bremen, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Noah Atubolu extended his remarkable penalty‑save streak to six consecutive spot‑kicks in a 3‑1 win at Mainz, underscoring his reputation as a specialist in high‑pressure situations. 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 La Liga, Barcelona’s recent form has dipped slightly. After a prolific stretch that saw them net five goals in two away fixtures, they settled for four in a 4‑2 victory over Levante, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal scoring twice, one of them from the spot.
Raphinha appeared to hand over some creative duties, possibly to bolster his Ballon d'Or campaign. Karim Adeyemi’s goal was voted the best of the match, reinforcing the attacking firepower available to coach Hansi Flick, even as defensive frailties linger. Real Madrid rebounded from a loss to Real Betis with a convincing 4‑1 win at the Bernabéu against Rayo Vallecano.
Kylian Mbappé started and finished the scoring, while Jude Bellingham also found the net. New signing Yan Diomande earned his first start, prompting manager José Mourinho to praise his potential, "He has a lot to learn tactically, but his potential is extraordinary." Mourinho was equally effusive about Diomande’s substitute Arda Güler, who provided 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 squad balance, as Mourinho might have preferred a defensive midfielder to complement Rodri’s efforts against Barcelona’s leaky back line. In Valencia, a string of poor results led to the dismissal of Carlos Corberán following a defeat to Sevilla.
The decision reflects the club’s anxiety about potentially starting the next season in the second tier, especially as their long‑awaited 70,000‑seat stadium, Nou Mestalla, is finally nearing completion. Further north, Deportivo A Coruña are enjoying a renaissance thanks to veteran striker Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang. At 37, he has already scored in each of the first five league games, edging toward the all‑time La Liga record of seven goals in a season for a player of his age.
La Liga’s round of results: 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 deficit to draw 2‑2 with Lazio after manager Rúben Amorim made three bold changes at halftime, bringing on Luka Modrić, Ruben Loftus‑Cheek and Pervis Estupiñán.
New signing Diego Moreira scored both Milan goals, earning Amorim’s praise for the youngster’s composure. The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was split, with many Lazio supporters chanting against president Claudio Lotito, yet Lazio remain unbeaten. Juventus saw their unbeaten Serie A run shattered when Sassuolo’s 20‑year‑old Montenegrin loanee Vasilije Adžić netted a 94th‑minute winner after Juventus had equalised in stoppage time. Meanwhile, Fiorentina’s teenage prodigy Franco Mastantuono recorded a hat‑trick in a 4‑2 win at Venezia, providing a bright spot after coach Fabio Grosso’s recent sacking.
Serie A scores: 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 victory of the season, with Ferran Torres scoring the solitary goal at Brest. The match was memorable for Luis Enrique’s tribute shirt reading "King Eric" in honor of the late Brest coach Eric Roy. Lille surged to the top of the table thanks to a goal from Ethan Mbappé, the younger brother of Kylian.
Manager Davide Ancelotti has impressed early on despite a summer exodus of star players, keeping Lille among the five unbeaten sides. Rennes continued their unbeaten run by handing Marseille a third straight defeat. Elsewhere, Paris FC and Lyon shared a goalless draw, while Monaco salvaged a point at Strasbourg thanks to a spectacular strike by Paris Brunner, a talent many are already watching closely.
Cameron Archer, on loan from Southampton to Auxerre, scored the winner against Nice after debuting with a goal in a prior defeat. His performance earned praise from former boss Will Still, who highlighted Archer’s intelligent movement and finishing. Archer’s rise illustrates why Saints’ director of football Tonda Eckert has advocated for a loan move to France.
Ligue 1 results: Rennes 1‑0 Marseille, Strasbourg 1‑1 Monaco, Auxerère 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 Eredivisie, Davy Klaassen made history for Ajax by scoring at 24 different venues, a feat previously achieved only by Johan Cruyff.
Ajax beat Fortuna Sittard 5‑1, while Feyenoord’s attacking display produced seven goals at PEC Zwolle. PSV’s 4‑1 win over Sparta Rotterdam was pivotal, propelling the champions back to the summit after AZ Alkmaar slipped up against Willem II. Portugal’s Primeira Liga saw Sporting drop points after conceding a stoppage‑time goal at Famalicão, despite the visitors playing with ten men. Porto and Benfica both staged comebacks to win their matches, setting up an enticing O Clássico next weekend.
Overall, this week’s football across the continent highlighted the impact of established stars like Kane, Mbappé and Yamal, while also showcasing emerging talents ready to shape the rest of the season. The Euro Debrief will continue to track these narratives as they develop.