While Chelsea and Manchester City were treating the Premier League audience to a 4-4 thriller, the rest of Europe’s top leagues were cooking up something just as intriguing with unlikely title contenders overtaking Bundesliga and La Liga giants.
[ MORE: Premier League on Peacock ]
From Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen matching Bayern Munich win for win in Germany, to Real Madrid and Barcelona chasing Girona in Spain, to Kylian Mbappe scoring three more goals and somehow coming out of the weekend as the bad guy, things are getting very interesting for a few UEFA Champions League sides across the continent.
Let’s bounce around Europe and catch up on highlights from the weekend…
Ligue 1 highlights – Kylian Mbappe bags hat trick in 3-0 win for PSG
Former leaders Nice dropped points on Friday, leaving the door open for PSG to go top of the table for the first time this season. Kylian Mbappe walked though said door, put the ball in the back of the net three times and was then criticized by his manager after the game.
It’s always something with PSG.
I am not very happy with Kylian today. Why? Because managers are so strange. About goals, I have nothing to say, I have no complaints. But I think he can help the team a lot in a different way because he’s so important.
I am going to tell him first, and after that I will never tell you because it’s not public. We think Kylian is one of the top players in the world, no doubt about that, but we need more and we want him doing more things, that’s my opinion.
Luis Enrique
Bundesliga highlights – Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen wins again to remain top
If Bayern Munich are going to claim their 12th straight Bundesliga title, they’re going to have to go through Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen to do it. With usual title contenders RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund already six and eight points in the rearview, respectively, Harry Kane and Bayern Munich would already be on their way to another title any other season.
Only, this season might just be remembered as the one in which Alonso rose to prominence and notoriety as one of the game’s next top coaches. 11 games into the Bundesliga season, Leverkusen (10W-1D-0L) and Bayern (9W-2D-0L) are the last two remaining unbeaten teams as they rank 2nd and 1st, respectively, in both goals scored and goals conceded. The 2-2 draw between the sides back on Sept. 15 represents Leverkusen’s only points dropped this season.
On Sunday, they matched the four goals that Bayern scored the day before, and kept the clean sheet to boot, to make it seven straight victories and remain two points clear at the top of the table.
La Liga highlights – Real Madrid, Barcelona win but still trail Girona
Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last seven La Liga games after a 5-1 victory over Valencia on Saturday, but Carlo Ancelotti’s defending champions remain two points behind unexpected title challengers Girona, who are winners of five straight themselves after coming back to beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1.
Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo scored a brace each as Real Madrid were without superstar Jude Bellingham for the second straight game. Bellingham could be set to return after the international break.
Barcelona remain very much in the title race as well, just four points off the summit after Robert Lewandowski came to the rescue on Sunday. Xavi’s side went 1-0 down in the 1st minute, but Lewandowski scored a brilliant header in the 53rd minute and converted from the penalty spot in the 78th.
