Welcome to The Euro Debrief, a fresh Sky Sports column where Adam Bate distils the most compelling narratives from the latest continental fixtures. This week the focus turns to a handful of headline‑grabbing performances and the ripple effects they are having across Europe’s top leagues.
In the Bundesliga, England captain Harry Kane finally broke the deadlock for Bayern Munich with a trademark strike that mirrored his World Cup winner against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The goal, coming in the 72nd minute, marked Kane’s 150th for the Bavarian giants and secured a 2-1 victory over newly promoted Elversberg, ending Bayern’s unbeaten run against the newcomers. While the win was a relief, Bayern remain a step behind Freiburg, who have seized the top spot after a blistering 5-0 demolition of a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach side.
The defeat prompted Gladbach to dismiss 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 5-0 drubbing, leaving Gladbach looking like early candidates for relegation 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 brace from Felix Nmecha. The win was set up by Portuguese forward Fabio Silva, who made his first Bundesliga start of the campaign and notched his fourth goal of the season—already surpassing his total from the previous year. Silva’s emergence comes at a crucial time as Dortmund cope with injuries to their high‑profile Greek signings, and his contributions suggest he can fill the void.
Schalke, still finding their feet after promotion, celebrated their first Bundesliga win of the season by edging Union Berlin 1-3 despite possessing only 34% of the possession. Meanwhile, Niclas Füllkrug continued his scoring streak for Werder Bremen, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Noah Atubolu extended his remarkable record by saving a sixth consecutive penalty in a 3-1 victory at Mainz.
Such feats underline the fine margins that separate success from failure in Germany’s top flight. The full slate of Bundesliga results reads 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 LaLiga, Barcelona’s attack appears to be losing a touch of its former fluidity. After scoring five goals across their last two away fixtures, they settled for four in a 4-2 win over Levante, with teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal netting a brace, one from the spot. Raphinha’s reduced involvement hints that the club may be reshuffling responsibilities to bolster his Ballon d'Or campaign, while Karim Adeyemi’s goal was widely praised as the match’s best.
Despite the offensive fireworks, Barcelona’s defensive frailties remain a concern, especially as they have already amassed 19 goals in four games. In the same round, Real Madrid rebounded from a recent loss to Real Betis with a commanding 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabéu.
Kylian Mbappé, on loan from PSG, started and finished the scoring, while Jude Bellingham added a goal. The spotlight also fell on newcomer Yan Diomande, who earned his first start. Manager José Mourinho lauded Diomande’s potential, noting his tactical learning curve, and he was quick to praise substitute Arda Güler, who supplied the assist for Mbappé’s second goal and created five chances after entering in the 72nd minute.
The £120 million signing of Diomande raises eyebrows given the depth of Madrid’s attacking options, and some speculate Mourinho might have preferred a more defensive midfielder to balance the side. Valencia’s woes continued as they fell 1-0 to Sevilla, prompting the dismissal of coach Carlos Corberán. The decision reflects the club’s frantic attempts to avoid a second‑tier debut before the completion of their new 70,000‑seat stadium, Nou Mestalla.
Meanwhile, in Galicia, Deportivo A Coruña are enjoying a renaissance thanks to veteran striker Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored in each of the first five league matches, inching toward the all‑time LaLiga record of seven consecutive games with a goal. LaLiga’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 Serie A, AC Milan clawed back from a 0-2 deficit to draw 2-2 with Lazio after manager Rúben Amorim’s bold triple substitution at halftime, which introduced Luka Modrić, Ruben Loftus‑Cheek and Pervis Estupiñán.
The changes paid off when summer signing Diego Moreira scored both Milan goals. Amorim emphasized the need for consistency across both halves of the match. The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was heavily tilted toward Milan, with many Lazio supporters protesting club president Claudio Lotito.
Despite the unrest, Lazio remain unbeaten. Juventus saw their unbeaten streak snapped when Sassuolo’s 20‑year‑old Montenegrin loanee Vasilije Adžić netted a 94th‑minute winner after Juve had equalised in stoppage time.
The weekend also highlighted youthful brilliance as 18‑year‑old Franco Mastantuono recorded a hat‑trick for Fiorentina in a 4-2 victory at Venezia, a performance that followed the sacking of Fiorentina 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 Ligue 1, Paris Saint‑Germain finally claimed their first win of the campaign, with Ferran Torres scoring the solitary goal at Brest. The match was marked by Luis Enrique’s tribute shirt reading "King Eric" in memory of former Brest coach Eric Roy, who passed away in June.
Lille surged to the top of the table after Ethan Mbappé, Kylian’s younger brother, found the net, while manager Davide Ancelotti has impressed despite a summer exodus of star players. Lille join a handful of unbeaten sides, including Rennes, who handed Marseille a third straight defeat.
Paris FC and Lyon shared a goalless draw, and Monaco secured a point at Strasbourg thanks to a spectacular strike from Paris Brunner, a rising talent. Meanwhile, on‑loan Southampton striker Cameron Archer made an immediate impact for Auxerre, scoring the winner against Nice after debuting with a goal in a loss the previous weekend.
Auxerre’s manager Will Still praised Archer’s movement and finishing, noting that the striker’s form could be pivotal for both his parent club and the French side. 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 Eredivisie, Davy Klaassen made history for Ajax by scoring at 24 different stadiums, a feat only Johan Cruyff has surpassed. Ajax’s 5-1 victory over Fortuna Sittard was modest compared with Feyenoord’s seven‑goal haul at PEC Zwolle.
PSV’s 4-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam proved decisive as the champions reclaimed the league lead after AZ Alkmaar slipped up against Willem II. Portugal’s Primeira Liga saw Sporting drop points in stoppage time against Famalicão, despite the home side playing with ten men. Porto and Benfica both staged comebacks to secure wins, setting up an enticing "O Clássico" next weekend. Overall, the weekend showcased a blend of veteran poise, youthful exuberance, and managerial daring across Europe’s elite competitions, with several title races already heating up and individual performances that could shape the Ballon d'Or conversation as the season progresses.