5 Things We Learned from Last Week’s Action
What We Now Know
The past week of football delivered non-stop action across Europe’s top leagues. We saw huge title race clashes in Italy, decisive results in the Premier League, and continued record-breaking performances in Germany. These five points stand out as the biggest things we learned from the weekend’s drama:
1. Bayern Munich Will Win the Bundesliga, and With Minimal Effort.
The race for the Bundesliga title is essentially over because Bayern Munich is simply operating on a different level from every other team. This was proven in their most recent match against top rival Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern secured a dominant 3-0 victory while manager Vincent Kompany was able to rest key attackers like Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Díaz and midfielder Aleksander Pavlovic. The ability to secure a massive win against a strong opponent, without fielding their best line-up, shows the incredible depth and system superiority Bayern possesses. They have a perfect record of 9 wins from 9 games (27 points) and a goal difference of +29. The five-point gap between them and the nearest competitor, RB Leipzig, is substantial this early in the season. When a team can crush rivals while resting its biggest stars, the title is no longer a competition, it’s practically a foregone conclusion. Bayern’s consistency and quality have taken away any chances of a race for everyone else.
2. Serie A’s Title Race Will Be the Most Interesting in Europe.
While most major European leagues already have clear favorites, the Serie A title race is the tightest and most unpredictable on the continent, making it the most interesting watch. The top of the table is currently a dense knot, where the four main contenders are separated by only a single point after 10 matches. Napoli sits first with 22 points, followed immediately by Inter Milan, AC Milan, and AS Roma, all tied on 21 points. This fierce competition means that every week is a title clash; for example, AC Milan recently beat Roma 1-0 in a tight contest. This consistent swapping of positions and the ability of all four teams to beat their rivals shows the depth of quality and the psychological pressure that will last until the final months of the season. If you are looking for pure, relentless drama, Serie A is delivering it better than any other league right now.
3. PSG’s Domestic Dominance is Shaking Due to Fatigue and Injuries.
Despite being the champions of Europe, Paris Saint-Germain’s domestic form suggests the heavy playing schedule is finally causing major issues with fatigue and player fitness. Their results are becoming inconsistent, which is highly unusual for them; they managed only a 0-0 draw in their league match against Lorient and had to rely on a late goal from Gonçalo Ramos to win their last match against Nice 1-0. The main problem is physical, key attacking players are breaking down. Winger Desire Doue is now ruled out for up to eight weeks with a severe thigh tear, and the team is managing the fitness of stars like Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who is not back to top form. This lack of firepower is being noticed in the league table, where only four points separate 1st place from 6th place in Ligue 1. Unless PSG solves this injury crisis, that small gap could quickly close, potentially turning the French league into a genuine title fight.
4. Villarreal is Commendably Maintaining Pace with the Spanish Giants.
Villarreal might be establishing themselves as the third-best team in Spain this season, challenging the dominance of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. The team is currently holding a strong 3rd place position with 23 points after 11 games. This is highly commendable because it places them just two points behind champions Barcelona and one point ahead of rivals Atlético Madrid. While they are seven points behind league leaders Real Madrid, the fact that they are maintaining pace with two of the traditional “big three” confirms their elite status this season. Villarreal is a serious contender for a Champions League spot, and their sustained run of form, including a 4-0 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano last time out, proves that the La Liga race is perhaps not a closed shop for the usual giants.
5. Chelsea Still Own Spurs.
The rivalry between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur once again showed that Chelsea has a clear psychological edge that Spurs simply cannot overcome. Chelsea secured a deserved 1-0 victory, extending their winning streak against their rivals to five consecutive matches. The match data was damning for Tottenham: they recorded their lowest Expected Goals (xG) on record, ever. They managed only 3 shots with just 1 on target, while Chelsea dominated with 15 shots and 9 on target. The only reasons Chelsea didn’t win by a bigger margin were their own poor finishing and the heroics of Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. The result proves that in recent time, no matter the change in manager or form, Chelsea maintains a historical and mental dominance that prevents Spurs from performing in this fixture.
