Elversberg stun Gladbach in seven-goal thriller as Athletic thrash Atlético and Leverkusen cruise

Bundesliga

The standout scoreline of the weekend — and arguably of the young season — came from the Bundesliga, where newly promoted SV Elversberg produced a stunning 4-3 victory at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Seven goals, a losing home side, and a freshly promoted club walking away with all three points: it is the kind of result that immediately reshapes early-season expectations. Gladbach will have serious questions to answer after being picked apart at home.

Elsewhere in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen underlined their title credentials with a commanding 4-0 dismantling of Union Berlin, while Werder Bremen put in an impressive shift to beat RB Leipzig 3-1, piling pressure on a Leipzig side that will have expected better. Borussia Dortmund edged a 3-2 win at Hoffenheim to keep their own momentum going, and SC Freiburg claimed a tight 1-0 success at Paderborn. The headline from the Bundesliga’s most-anticipated fixture, however, was a surprise: Schalke held Bayern München to a goalless draw, denying the record champions a routine win and offering hope to the Gelsenkirchen club that the gap to the elite may be narrowing.

La Liga

Athletic Club delivered the most eye-catching result in Spain, thrashing Atlético Madrid 3-0 at San Mamés. A home win over Diego Simeone’s side by that margin is no small feat, and it will generate significant pressure on Atlético at this early stage of the campaign. In the other La Liga fixtures, Deportivo La Coruña continued their impressive return to the top flight by winning 3-2 at Villarreal, while Rayo Vallecano edged out Racing Santander 3-2 in an entertaining encounter.

Premier League

Crystal Palace were the weekend’s most convincing English top-flight performers, winning 2-3 at Fulham in a lively London derby. Newcastle were held 2-2 by Bournemouth at St James’ Park, a result that will feel like a missed opportunity for the Magpies. Manchester City got the job done with a narrow 1-0 win over Coventry, while Nottingham Forest and Tottenham cancelled each other out in a goalless stalemate. Brentford and Sunderland, as well as Brighton and Leeds, shared the points in a pair of 1-1 draws, and Hull City frustrated Aston Villa with a 0-0 at home — a result Villa will find hard to swallow.

Serie A

Inter Milan produced the most compelling result in Italy, coming from behind or holding off a challenge to beat Napoli 3-2 in a high-quality fixture that lived up to its billing as a top-of-the-table clash. Roma also impressed, defeating Atalanta 2-1 to continue a positive start to their season. Torino, meanwhile, claimed a 2-1 victory at Fiorentina — a result that will concern the Viola, who struggled to impose themselves at home.

Ligue 1

Stade Brestois maintained their push for European football with a 2-1 win at Le Havre, continuing a run of form that makes them one of the more intriguing stories in France this term. Lorient claimed a 1-0 victory at Lens, a result that hands the hosts their third consecutive defeat against visitors from the lower half. Nice could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to Le Mans, a frustrating evening for a club with higher ambitions.