Club Football is BACK

“Animal XI,” “Suárez had no reason to hit that top bins,” “Name your perfect eleven of footballers who look like they smell nice”, all that can be put back into the shelf. The real thing is back. Club football returns, and so does the routine, tactical debates, injury updates, and weekends that’ll determine how the next week will be for most fans emotionally. FootballBias touches on different realities of the biggest clubs.

This stretch after the break is where things usually get real. The rust shows, the injuries surface, and the momentum resets. The next few weeks could shape how major clubs enter 2026, who holds their ground, who slips, and who surprises everyone. The break gave everyone time to breathe, now it’s time to get loud again.

Somewhere right now, thousands of FPL managers are swapping in a “must-have” midfielder they’ll regret by Saturday afternoon. The break is a trap like that, it gives fans time to overthink, scroll too far down the stats list, and convince themselves that their differential pick is about to explode. FPL is back with deadline panic, unexpected benchings, and captaincy chaos. The real managers have team talks, FPL managers have spreadsheets and superstition. Both are gearing up for what’s next.

Madrid sit atop La Liga but the next few weeks will show whether they can stay there. Xabi Alonso’s men are walking into a brutal run, Juventus and Liverpool in Europe, Barcelona in the league, and a cluster of high-pressure fixtures that may well define their season. It’s the kind of stretch that will not just test talent but temperament as well. Madrid’s record in big games from last season has raised questions and this season , they’ve already been battered by city rivals Atletico and while they’ve looked brilliant against mid-table sides, there’s still doubt about whether they can consistently deliver when the stage gets bigger and the opposition bites back, whether they can vanquish their big game demons.

With Barcelona bruised by injuries, this is their chance to pull away. Bellingham’s full reintegration into the team should add more stability, while Guler’s understanding with Mbappé keeps unlocking defences. The link-up between the two with Guler’s craft and Mbappé’s acceleration has given Madrid a new way to beat opposition defenses. Now it’s about turning style into statement wins. The talent is there and the momentum is building but Madrid’s next few games will tell us if they’ve finally learned how to win the big ones again.

It’s been a stop–start season for Liverpool, and the cracks are beginning to show. The rhythm has faded, the attack looks predictable, the midfield disjointed, and without Trent Alexander-Arnold, the team’s entire build-up dynamic has changed.
Up front, Mohamed Salah hasn’t looked himself either. Slot’s wider setup keeps him glued to the touchline instead of cutting inside like before, limiting his influence in dangerous zones. It’s not entirely on him, the structure simply doesn’t fit his strengths. Wirtz and Isak, meanwhile, are still adjusting to the Premier League’s tempo and intensity.

Liverpool aren’t broken, but they’re out of sync. The ideas are there, the players are there, but unless Slot finds a system that gets the best out of his core again, they could lose even more ground in the Premier League title race.

Hansi Flick’s Barça meanwhile are currently plagued by injuries. The injury list reads like a first-team sheet, Gavi, Lamine Yamal , Raphinha, Joan Garcia, Lewandowski, Fermin Lopez and Dani Olmo, all out. The absences have forced Flick into makeshift setups, relying heavily on Marcus Rashford, Pedri and Ferran Torres to win matches and it remains to be seen if they can keep the gap between them and Madrid at the top of the table the way it is. The signs are not encouraging as well with losses in both of their two matches before the international break.

Flick’s challenge is to keep Barça steady until the cavalry returns, grind out points, stay close to Madrid, and keep morale from dipping. They might not be sparkling right now, but surviving this period could end up defining their season.

Bayern have started the season like a side possessed, ten wins from ten, the best start in football history. Kompany’s side are not just winning, they’re dismantling. From a 6-0 thrashing of Leipzig in the league to a composed 3–1 win over Chelsea in the Champions League, the message is clear: Bayern are back to looking like Bayern. This is the most dangerous they’ve looked in years. Kane’s numbers are absurd, scoring at a rate that feels almost unfair, while Serge Gnabry looks like a man reborn, sharper and more direct than he’s been in seasons. Michael Olise has picked up right where he left off, adding flair and unpredictability from the right, and Luis Díaz has slotted in so naturally, it looks like he’s been there for years.

The balance in attack is frightening , creativity, pace, and ruthless finishing all working in sync. They’re inspiring fear across Europe again and there’s no telling what they’ll win if this form continues.

Speaking of Harry Kane, the season is still young, but the familiar names concerning the Ballon d’Or are already setting the tone. Mbappé has been electric at Madrid, Haaland is scoring at that familiarly freakish rate again, and Kane’s numbers at Bayern are just as absurd. These are the three front-runners, the elite tier everyone else is chasing. But there’s always room for a few disruptors, Vinícius looks like getting back to his best and guys like Julian Alvarez and (say it quietly) Marcus Rashford are doing very well too. Still, individual awards tend to follow collective success. If Madrid, City, Barca or Bayern finish the season with silverware, their stars will own the conversation. For now, it’s a three-horse race, and all three are running like they know exactly what is at stake.