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 touches on everything from a classic Harry Kane strike to surprise performances across Europe’s top leagues, and even a few noteworthy individual milestones. First up, the Bayern Munich side finally felt the sting of defeat at the hands of Elversberg, thanks to a signature Kane goal.
The England captain, now wearing the Bayern colours, netted his 150th goal for the German giants in the 72nd minute – a finish that echoed his World Cup winner against DR Congo. The strike not only secured a 2‑1 win but also marked the first loss of the season for the newly promoted Elversberg. While Bayern remain a powerhouse, they have yet to reclaim the Bundesliga summit.
That honour currently belongs to Freiburg, who thrashed a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach 5‑0. 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 grew after the heavier loss in Freiburg, and with last season’s narrow escape, Gladbach now look like genuine relegation candidates. Over in Dortmund, the club preserved its perfect start to the campaign. Felix Nmecha delivered a brace of spectacular goals in a 3‑0 victory over Paderborn, while Portuguese forward Fabio Silva, making his first Bundesliga start of the season, supplied the assist.
Silva’s fourth goal of the campaign already exceeds his total from the previous year, underscoring his rapid adaptation after injuries sidelined Dortmund’s high‑profile Greek signings. Schalke, still finding their footing after promotion, earned their first Bundesliga win of the season by out‑working Union Berlin with just 34% possession. Meanwhile, Werder Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug added another goal to his tally, keeping his scoring streak alive.
A standout moment came from Eintracht Frankfurt’s keeper Noah Atubolu, who extended his remarkable record by saving a sixth consecutive penalty in a 3‑1 triumph at Mainz. While Nadiem Amiri had already found the net ten times this season, Atubolu’s composure under pressure proved decisive. The full slate of Bundesliga results for the round was: - 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 recent form has slipped. After scoring five goals in their previous two away outings, they were held to four in a 4‑2 win over Levante, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal netting a brace, one from the spot.
Raphinha’s reduced involvement raises questions about his role in the Ballon d'Or conversation, especially as Yamal continues to impress. Karim Adeyemi produced what many are calling the match’s best goal, adding to his strong start to the season. Hansi Flick now has a wealth of attacking options, but defensive solidity remains a concern. With 19 goals in four matches, Barcelona’s firepower may be enough, but tighter opposition could expose their frailties.
In the capital, Real Madrid rebounded from a loss to Real Betis with a convincing 4‑1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabéu. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring and finished the match, while Jude Bellingham also found the net.
New signing Yan Diomande earned his first start, prompting Mourinho to note his tactical learning curve but praise his potential. Arda Güler, who entered in the 72nd minute, supplied the assist for Mbappé’s second goal and created five chances – the most of any player on the pitch – highlighting his immediate impact despite limited minutes. Mourinho’s comments about Diomande’s £120 million fee suggest a desire for a more balanced midfield, perhaps a holding player to complement Rodri, who alone cannot shore up Madrid’s defence. The decision of where Rodri will ultimately play could influence the title race.
Valencia’s woes continued, culminating in the dismissal of Carlos Corberán after a defeat to Sevilla. The club’s poor start, coupled with fears of dropping to the second tier before the new 70,000‑seat Nou Mestalla stadium is completed, has put the owners under intense scrutiny. In Galicia, Deportivo A Coruña are enjoying a resurgence thanks to veteran Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored in each of his first five games this season, edging towards the 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 2‑0 halftime deficit to draw 2‑2 with Lazio, thanks to a bold triple substitution by manager Rubén Amorim. He introduced Luka Modrić, Ruben Loftus‑Cheek and Pervis Estupiñán, a move that paid off as summer signing Diego Moreira scored both Milan goals. Amorim emphasized the need for consistency across both halves of the game.
The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was charged, with many Lazio supporters protesting against president Claudio Lotito. Gennaro Gattuso likened the hostile environment to playing during the pandemic, yet Lazio remain unbeaten. Juventus saw their unbeaten streak 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.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina’s teenage prodigy Franco Mastantuono delivered a hat‑trick in a 4‑2 victory over Venezia, a bright spot following the sacking of 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 recorded their first win of the season, with Ferran Torres scoring the solitary goal at Brest.
The match also featured Luis Enrique wearing a ‘King Eric’ shirt in tribute to the late Brest coach Eric Roy. Lille surged to the top of the French table after Ethan Mbappé, Kylian’s younger brother, scored the decisive goal. New manager Davide Ancelotti has overseen a solid start despite the loss of key players in the summer window, and Lille are now one of 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 goal from Paris Brunner, a rising talent. 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 and highlights why Southampton’s Tonda Eckert has spoken about the possibility of a permanent move to France. 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 venues, a feat only Johan Cruyff has surpassed.
Ajax beat Fortuna Sittard 5‑1, while Feyenoord’s seven‑goal haul at PEC Zwolle and PSV’s 4‑1 win over Sparta Rotterdam were also notable. PSV’s victory propelled them back to the top after AZ Alkmaar slipped up against Willem II. Portugal’s Primeira Liga saw Sporting drop points in stoppage time against Famalicão, despite the visitors being reduced to ten men. Both Porto and Benfica rallied from behind to win, setting up an intriguing O Clássico next weekend.
Finally, a reminder that fans can enter the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £1 million – entry is free.