Welcome to the Euro Recap, a fresh Sky Sports column where Adam Bate pulls together the most compelling narratives from this week’s continental fixtures. Below is a detailed rundown of the action across Europe, expanded with extra insight and context.
Raphinha continues to champion Lamine Yamal’s bid for the Ballon d'Or, yet it is hard to argue that the Brazilian forward should be anything less than the headline act at the moment. After netting a hat‑trick mid‑week, he repeated the feat in Barcelona’s 3‑1 triumph over Sevilla. The three goals came in classic fashion – a right‑footed strike, a towering header and a left‑footed finish – underscoring that Raphinha is finally operating in his natural position.
At 29, he appears to have discovered the role that best suits his skill set, and the variety of his goals demonstrates that he can now score in any manner required. In LaLiga, Barcelona sit in unstoppable form, sitting five points clear of the second‑placed side and six ahead of Real Madrid after José Mourinho’s Atlético side won the derby on Sunday. After a surprisingly muted start to the domestic campaign, Mourinho is now back to his usual outspoken self. He launched a scathing attack on referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias after the 2‑1 loss, even presenting printed evidence at the post‑match press conference.
Mourinho complained about "two clear red cards" and suggested that Cristian Romero’s challenge on Jude Bellingham warranted a dismissal – a view that looked more convincing in still images than in live replays. He added, "The referee appointment committee should be pleased because everything was bizarre. They assigned a 41‑year‑old who has never officiated at the international level – it’s clearly not because he’s a great referee." Such conspiracy‑theory‑laden rants are typical of Mourinho, but they do little to hide the widening gap between Barcelona and the rest of the league. While Barcelona dominate, Real Madrid have struggled against top‑flight opposition, echoing their recent difficulties against Betis.
Other LaLiga highlights included Celta Vigo’s five‑goal demolition of Racing Santander and a dramatic late winner from Ander Barrenetxea that stunned Valencia’s Mestalla. The full slate of results was: Espanyol 1‑3 Elche, Osasuna 1‑1 Rayo Vallecano, Athletic Club 0‑0 Alavés, Celta Vigo 5‑0 Racing Santander, Sevilla 1‑3 Barcelona, Getafe 1‑0 Málaga, Atlético Madrid 2‑1 Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruña 1‑1 Real Betis, Villarreal 3‑1 Levante, Valencia 2‑3 Real Sociedad.
In Germany, Harry Kane celebrated a personal milestone as Bayern Munich routed Union Berlin 7‑0. The England captain reached 100 Bundesliga goals in just his 98th appearance, a pace unmatched by any other player in league history. While Kane’s strike count was impressive, the standout performer was Michael Olise, who scored a hat‑trick and assisted Kane’s second goal.
Olise’s display suggests he could be a serious contender for individual accolades alongside Kane. The Bundesliga also saw Borussia Mönchengladbach suffer a 3‑4 loss in a high‑scoring affair against Mainz, while Augsburg fell for the first time at Werder Bremen and Freiburg’s unbeaten run at Eintracht Frankfurt ended. Borussia Dortmund remain the only side yet to drop points, with Maxi Beier’s winner at Stuttgart secured by a Jobe Bellingham assist.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovač received the heartbreaking news of former Bayern assistant Peter Hermann’s passing during the post‑match interview, showing a rare moment of vulnerability. Despite the emotional blow, Dortmund have now won six consecutive matches across all competitions and boast more clean sheets than Bayern since the summer of 2025 – a sign of steady progress. In Serie A, Inter staged a remarkable comeback, salvaging a point after trailing Roma by two goals.
Lautaro Martínez’s brace prevented Roma from maintaining a perfect record, highlighting the increasingly competitive title race where four clubs remain unbeaten. AC Milan, under the guidance of former Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim, adjusted their formation after a European defeat, opting for a back‑four against Lecce and securing a 3‑0 victory. The tactical tweak saw Mario Gila shift to right‑back, granting Samuel Chukwueze more attacking freedom. Amorim admitted, "I cannot repeat the same mistakes," and reflected on his Manchester United experience, noting that when a team lacks the ideal attributes for a particular system, adaptation becomes essential – an insight that arrived a little late but could prove pivotal.
Other Serie A notes: Billy Gilmour scored for Napoli, while Harry Winks, after enduring consecutive relegations with Leicester, has become a regular starter for Cagliari, helping them achieve four wins in five games. The weekend’s Serie A results were: Monza 2‑1 Sassuolo, Bologna 1‑1 Torino, Udinese 0‑1 Cagliari, Roma 2‑2 Inter, Venezia 0‑2 Lazio, Fiorentina 1‑1 Napoli, Frosinone 2‑0 Como, Parma 2‑1 Genoa, Juventus 2‑0 Atalanta, Milan 3‑0 Lecce. In Ligue 1, Paris Saint‑Germain finally halted Marseille’s brief home‑victory streak, winning 2‑1 at the Velodrome thanks to a Marquinhos winner.
Marseille have now lost four of their first five matches – their worst start ever – while PSG, despite missing seven clear chances, secured a third consecutive win, indicating a return to form for the French champions. Meanwhile, Paris FC, coached by Englishman Liam Rosenior, celebrated a 2‑1 victory over former club Strasbourg.
Rosenior condemned a small faction of Strasbourg supporters for insulting his family, describing his celebration as a deliberate message. His side remain unbeaten and lead France in defensive metrics, though Monaco sit atop the table after a 2‑1 win over Lens, and Nice recorded their first win of the campaign against Lille. Ligue 1 results: Monaco 2‑1 Lens, Paris FC 2‑1 Strasbourg, Angers 2‑0 Troyes, Le Mans 2‑1 Lorient, Lyon 4‑0 Rennes, Toulouse 3‑2 Le Havre, Auxerre 2‑1 Brest, Nice 2‑1 Lille, Marseille 1‑2 PSG. In Turkey, Mohamed Salah delivered a sensational hat‑trick for Trabzonspor in a 4‑0 demolition of Galatasaray, also providing an assist.
His pace was evident as he sprinted from his own half for both the opening and closing goals, while a defensive lapse from Davinson Sánchez set up his second strike. Salah now boasts seven goals in six league games.
The Super Lig table is topped by newly promoted Amedspor, a club with strong Kurdish ties, after Gift Orban’s long‑range strike secured a 3‑2 win over Beşiktaş. In Portugal, Porto defeated Benfica 3‑1 at the Estádio do Dragão, with Marco Silva’s Benfica side briefly equalising despite a red card for Clement Lenglet. Porto’s victory marked their seventh straight win, extending their lead at the summit and highlighting Francesco Farioli’s continued success. Overall, the weekend delivered a mix of dominant performances, tactical experiments, and emotional moments across Europe’s top leagues, setting the stage for an exciting second half of the season.