Winner: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Some thought that, at 37, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had signed for Deportivo A Coruna, a historic Spanish club but now a newly promoted LaLiga side, just to enjoy a quiet end to his career. The start of his season has completely shattered that idea...
The Gabonese striker has scored in every match so far - four in four - and, in their latest game, he also provided two assists, being involved in all three goals as Depor came from behind to beat Villarreal away.
The former Dortmund, Arsenal, and Barcelona star looks in top form - not just in terms of numbers, but also with the energy he brings through his movement, runs, and reading of the game. A truly stellar signing in Galicia!
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Losers: Fiorentina
Fiorentina spent €150 million on signings in the summer. After sales, that’s still over 120 million in net investment. The results after three Serie A rounds are dismal: three defeats, the last two at home, with just one goal scored and nine conceded.
Franco Mastantuono, Mateo Pellegrino, Beto, and Christ Inao Oulai are some of the new faces who have seen Viola drop to the bottom of the Serie A standings. Their start to the season couldn’t have been more disheartening, until head coach Fabio Grosso was sacked on Sunday, of course...
Winners: Elversberg
After Aubameyang's Depor in Spain, what can we say about little Elversberg in Germany? A Bundesliga newcomer that is determined to make their matches thrilling and bring joy to their fans in equal measure.
On their debut, the club beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 after taking a 3-0 lead. Beginner’s luck, maybe, not letting the lead slip away... That theory went out the window with what happened this weekend in Monchengladbach.
They were down 3-1 with 25 minutes to go, then Maurice Krattenmacher pulled one back right after coming off the bench. With 10 minutes left, Felix Keidel equalised.
In stoppage time, the fans went into ecstasy after another goal from Krattenmacher, who couldn’t have done much more with a brace in less than half an hour on the pitch. The tiny promoted side must feel amazing to be joint leaders of the Bundesliga!
Losers: PSG
The two-time European champions and absolute rulers of French football are in crisis. Despite the confidence shown by extending Luis Enrique's contract until 2030 and announcing at the same time the renewals of five players, the Parisians have had their worst start to Ligue 1 in the last 19 years, with two draws and a loss.
And the last match on Friday was especially painful, surrendering a lead against a direct rival in Monaco, who have won every game so far under new coach Felipe Luis.
PSG have gotten us used to their slow starts in the Champions League main stage, only to accelerate in the knockouts and lift the trophy. But in the domestic league, it’s not so common. They’ll surely improve, but for now, we have to label them as 'losers' this week.
Winners: Barcelona
A rival-crushing machine, a goal-scoring juggernaut... No praise seems enough to describe Barcelona, who have won every LaLiga match so far - and by big margins. The latest: a 5-0 thrashing of Valencia at Mestalla.
Flick's side are unstoppable, insatiable, tireless, and unplayable. And that’s despite playing without a true centre forward. But who needs one when you have Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Fermin Lopez firing on all cylinders?
Let's see who can find the antidote to stop the Catalans this season, if anyone...
Losers: Mourinho's Real Madrid
The first Champions League-level test and the first slip-up for Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid in LaLiga. They visited Betis on Friday, coached by Mourinho's old nemesis Manuel Pellegrini, and left empty-handed.
Between Vinicius Junior's poor performance - which is becoming a habit - Kylian Mbappe being so off that he even missed a penalty, and coming up against a goalkeeper in Alvaro Valles, who looked like the reincarnation of Iker Casillas, Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season.
It won’t be a big deal if they can beat Inter in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. But if they don’t, we’ll see if the new, calmer, friendlier, less irritable Mourinho keeps his cool when the Bernabeu starts to whistle.
His players had better not upset either the coach or the fans. Otherwise, more problems could be looming for Los Blancos, and especially if Barca keep on winning.
Winner: Ronald Koeman Jr.
Yes, he’s the son of the Ronald Koeman we all know - the one who scored at Wembley to win Barca's first European Cup. But he's not a centre-back like his father; he's a goalkeeper!
And as has happened before, the Dutchman, born in Barcelona, is becoming more famous for his goals than his saves, as he's the penalty taker for his modest Eredivisie club, Telstar.
He already played the hero last season, scoring a penalty in the 89th minute to save his team from relegation. And over the weekend, in a match against Cambuur, he starred as a goal scorer again.
His team were down to 10 men after Nokkvi Thorisson was sent off in the 22nd minute, and the visitors went 2-0 up early in the second half. But Koeman pulled one back from the spot in the 63rd minute. And then, in the 90+11th, he slotted a second to snatch a dramatic draw: Genius and incredible character.
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Losers: Sparta Prague
One of the Czech giants just can’t get going this season. After losing 2-1 to Hradec Kralove on Sunday, Sparta Prague have now suffered back-to-back defeats - four in seven rounds - and find themselves in a worrying spot in the table.
With just nine points, they’re already eight behind leaders Slavia and level on points with Ostrava, who sit just above the relegation zone. It could be a long season ahead for the Czech Republic's historically most successful club.
