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European Paper Review

“If Pep was alcohol-free, then Carlo is champagne”. Bayern are back. PSG lose again, while Inter continue to suffer in Serie A.


The 54th Bundesliga season is only one week old but they’re already talking about champagne in Munich after Bayern kicked off their 4th consecutive title defence with a 6-0 thumping of Werder Bremen.

“That’ll do!” said the city’s Tageszeitung, “we didn’t have football in Fröttmaning, we had tennis – and Bayern took the first set 6-0!”

“If Pep was alcohol-free, then Carlo is champagne!” said Süddeutsche Zeitung after Carlo Ancelotti got off to a perfect start with a hat-trick from Robert Lewandowski and goals from Xavi Alonso, Franck Ribéry and even Philipp Lahm.

SZ also pointed out that the Bayern line-up was the oldest the club had fielded since 2008 with an average age of 29 years and 95 days: “Bayern’s over-30s have a spring in their step in the autumn of their careers.”

Deutsche Welle preferred to focus on the visitors’ substantial shortcomings. “A home win was predictable but such a passionless, weak display from the opposition was not. Bremen don’t look Bundesliga material.”

Further questions about the competitiveness of Germany’s top division were inevitable. “As the ball rolled towards the Bayern goal at 4 or 6 nil, Manuel Neuer could have stopped and picked daisies before picking it up,” said a scathing Die Zeit.

“Anyone who was looking forward to real football again after the Olympics would have to admit: the wild water rafting heats were a thousand times more exciting than this.

“The Bundesliga wants to attract fans from around the world, but what Bremen showed cannot be what they have in mind.”

The league’s marketing men will instead be hoping that viewers tuned in to a derby of genuine high quality as Borussia Mönchengladbach beat fellow Champions League participants Bayer Leverkusen 2-1, leading BILD to suggest the Foals may be title contenders with the headline: “Gladbach begin Bayern chase!” Tagesspiegel called it a “top class game. They matched each other for passes, tackles and possession but there had to be a winner.”

Borussia Dortmund should offer a more credible challenge but it remains to be seen how quickly Thomas Tuchel’s new-look side will gel, although they got off to a winning start with a 2-1 victory over Mainz on Saturday.

“[Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang starts his Lewandowski chase!” said Kicker as the Gabonese striker began his personal goal hunt with a brace, both set up by new arrival André Schürrle (who will nevertheless now miss Germany’s next two friendlies against Finland and Norway with a back problem.)

“The pair seem made for each other,” said Spiegel, but went on to point out that teenage signing Ousmane Dembélé has a lot to learn. “The 19-year-old got the crowd excited, sometimes with his breath-taking dribbles but at other times with his unconventional decision-making and misplaced passes.” Dortmund local Der Western also urged caution: “BVB win is nothing to get too excited about.”


Match day three in Ligue 1 saw title favourites PSG and Lyon both lose. “Monaco punish Paris” said L’Équipe after the Monagasques beat the champions 3-1 in the principality. “A lesson for the champions,” agreed Le Parisien. “We didn’t see that coming!” admitted France Football as goals from Joao Moutinho, Fabinho and Serge Aurier (OG) sealed victory.

But challengers Lyon failed to capitalise and crashed to a surprise 4-2 defeat at promoted Dijon, despite having led twice. “Sensation in Dijon!” screamed France Football, but Le Progrès lamented “OL’s ordeal” as Alexandre Lacazette was substituted following a knock on his left knee. Nabil Fekir, who missed most of last season, will also be out for at least 3 weeks with a knee problem. “A huge blow,” concluded the Lyon-based daily.

In Spain, an Ivan Rakitic header gave Barça a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao for the second August in succession. “An intense clash that saw Athletic Club make the visitors work hard for the points,” reckoned AS. “We deserve a lot of credit for these three points,” opined Luis Enrique.

Real Madrid also won narrowly, 2-1 at home to Celta Vigo. “James improved the team; he’s staying here,” said Zinedine Zidane of his second half substitute Rodriguez. “James showed that he wants to stay at Madrid,” commented Alfredo Relano in AS, while also describing Celta as “excellent and I’d go as far as saying that tactically they were superior”. Atletico drew for the second week, this time they were “frustrated” at promoted neighbours Leganes. After 40 goals last weekend, La Liga’s defences tightened considerably, with eleven sides keeping clean sheets and four goalless draws.

Several Spanish clubs will be satisfied to keep hold of their best players beyond the end of the transfer window, with Valencia losing Mustafi and Deportivo Lucas Perez to Arsenal, though Madrid are prepared to offload Isco. “Madrid receive offer from Spurs for Isco, AS claimed.

In Italy, the woes of Inter Milan make the front page. “Inter Dream but don’t score,” is the headline on the front page of La Gazzetta Dello Sport after they drew 1-1 with Palermo following an opening week defeat. ‘Nerazzurri already -5 from the top as San Siro jeers.” The Italian media are linking Cesc Fabregas as the man to help them turn things around as the transfer window enters a final week. “Cesc will arrive if the swap with Brozovic goes through,” says La Gazzetta. “And Ballardini waits for Balotelli.”

Down in Naples, who have been linked with Joe Hart, according to La Gazzetta: “Maksimovic is coming. Valdifiori heads to Mihajlovic. With Hart?” If they can do for Hart’s career what they did for Gonzalo Higuain, it would be a decent move. Napoli beat Milan 4-2 on Saturday. Four teams have won both games so far: champions Juventus, village side Sassuolo and both Genoa clubs, Sampdoria and Genoa. They’re unlikely to be in the top four at the end of the season, but in August hope springs eternal.

Even Torino, who are permanently in the shadow of Juventus, have Serie A’s top goalscorer “Toro boom. They score five and Belotti gets three: the king of the goals,” writes Gazzetta of Andrea Belotti, who has scored four in the first two weeks, the hat-trick coming in a 5-1 win over Bologna. At 22, the striker is unlikely to stay at Torino if the former Italy under 21 striker keeps scoring. Not that Torino fans want to think about that at present.