European Roundup: Kane’s hat-trick, Barcelona’s streak, and PSG’s comeback win

New Delhi: The past week in European football witnessed a series of remarkable moments with standout performances and critical milestones after the league returned from the international break. In La Liga, Barcelona continued their relentless pursuit of the title with a commanding victory strengthening their position at the top of the table. Their dynamic squad featuring rising talents and seasoned stars, put on a clinic of attacking football underlining their intent to reclaim domestic dominance.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Bayern Munich reaffirmed their status as Bundesliga giants with another emphatic display. The reigning champions showed why they remain the team to beat, as their seamless blend of experience and youthful energy ensured their continued dominance. Harry Kane’s hat-trick was the headline, as Bayern kept the pressure on their rivals and set the tone for the weeks to come.

However, it was not just the heavyweights making headlines but there were shocking comebacks, record-breaking feats, and stunning individual performances that could shift the balance in the title races.

As the battle for supremacy heats up across Europe’s elite leagues, one thing is clear: this season is shaping up to be anything but predictable. Let’s dive into the standout moments and milestones that defined the week in football.

La Liga

Barcelona kept their winning streak going as Lamine Yamal scored twice in a dominant first half against Girona. Dani Olmo and Pedri scored in the second half for their side. Olmo even became the fifth player to score in the first three La Liga matches for Barcelona after Hristo Stoichkov, Dani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Cesc Fabregas. 

Ferran Torres, the former Manchester City winger was handed over a red card for a heavy challenge on Yser Asprilla in the 86th minute of the game. 

Barca’s key rivals Real Madrid are just four points behind after a 2-0 win at Real Sociedad secured with penalties from Vinicius Jr and Mbappe in the second half. After the match Real boss Carlo Ancelotti even said that his side were not dominant enough to deserve the win despite being without their key midfielders Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos, and Aurelien Tchouameni. 

In another match between Atletico Madrid and Valencia Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez scored their first goals as they beat Valencia by a scoreline of 3-0. 

Bundesliga

Bayern Munich side went top of the Bundesliga table with a dominating 6-1 win over Holstein Kiel on Saturday as their star striker Harry Kane who scored twice for England last week backed a hat-trick against the newly promoted side. Another two were netted by Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise. 

Bayern kept up the pressure the uneasy hosts soon paid for it when they made another defensive error that allowed Musiala to pass. Nicolai Remberg gave away his cutback for an own goal after he dribbled past two defenders in the box. Bayern’s record-breaking undefeated run was broken last year by Bayer Leverkusen. 

The reigning champions Leverkusen bounced back from the 3-2 defeat by RB Leipzig in their last game with a commendable 4-1 victory over Hoffenheim. This season, RB Leipzig dropped points for the first time in a 0-0 draw with Union Berlin after Union goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow saved a penalty from Lois Openda.    

Serie A

Napoli surged to the top of Serie A with a commanding 4-0 win over Cagliari led by Romelu Lukaku, who contributed two assists and a goal. Premier League exports Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour made their debuts as late substitutes helping Antonio Conte’s side secure their third victory in four matches. 

Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas endured frustration in his quest for a first Serie A win as head coach. His Como side, newly promoted this season, squandered a two-goal lead to settle for a 2-2 draw with Bologna. Nicolo Casale’s early own goal and Patrick Cutrone’s strike gave Como control, but late goals from Santiago Castro and Samuel Iling-Junior secured Bologna a point. Fabregas expressed his disappointment emphasizing the need for his team to be more ruthless in front of goal.

Elsewhere, Juventus’ unbeaten run continued with a goalless draw against Empoli while Paulo Fonseca celebrated his first Serie A victory as AC Milan coach with a dominant 4-0 win over Venezia, featuring two quick penalties from former Chelsea stars Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham. Defending champions Inter Milan missed a chance to reclaim the top spot after being held to a 1-1 draw by Monza.

Ligue 1

Paris Saint-Germain continued their perfect start to the Ligue 1 season with a 3-1 comeback victory against Brest. The visitors took a surprise lead when Romain del Castillo converted a penalty after Nuno Mendes fouled Ludovic Ajorque inside the box. However, PSG quickly responded with Ousmane Dembele causing havoc on the right wing. Dembele leveled the score just before halftime heading in a well-placed cross from Marco Asensio.

In the second half, PSG turned the game around with two goals in quick succession. Fabian Ruiz put the champions ahead in the 73rd minute with a stunning long-range effort, rifling the ball into the top corner. Just a minute later, Dembele struck again pouncing on a loose ball after Randal Kolo Muani’s initial attempt was blocked. 

Brest struggled to recover from the rapid turnaround and PSG controlled the remainder of the match to secure their win. Dembele’s impressive performance, combined with strong contributions from Asensio and Ruiz helped PSG maintain their perfect record as they continue their pursuit of another Ligue 1 title.

 Check out last week’s tremendous performances in European football from Harry Kane’s hat-trick to Barcelona’s dominance and other standout moments.  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today