European Paper Review: Real-ly great, LVG for PSG, bullish Bayern - and more

“World Record!” is the headline on Monday’s Marca after Real Madrid became world champions following a 4-2 victory over Kashima Antlers in Yokohama, the only surprise being that the Japanese side led 2-1 until the 59th minute when Cristiano Ronaldo equalised.

“Once again Madrid came close to letting things slip,” writes Alfredo Relano in AS. “They won the Champions League final after extra time and a penalty shoot-out. They bagged the UEFA Super Cup in Norway after extra time and yesterday’s final also went to 120 minutes of football. One player who crops continually as protagonist in these games is Sergio Ramos. Yesterday the defender should have been awarded his marching orders at the end of normal time but extreme leniency from the match official saw him complete the game.”

“The best team in Spain,” adds Madrid’s greatest cheerleader, Marca. “32 leagues, 11 Champions League and 5 world club cups.” Underneath a picture of the victorious team and another of Zinedine Zidane being raised above their heads by his players are the words “2016 has been the best”. The praise is rightly flowing for a team that have been remarkably successful under Zidane. There’s even praise, tucked away in the corner of the double front page, for Barcelona, who beat Espanyol 4-1. “The return of the magic,” writes Marca. “The connection between Iniesta and Messi decides the derby. A Luis Suarez double, Alba and Leo goleadores.”(translate) La Liga takes a break now for two weeks, though there will be Copa del Rey games this week.

In France, things are not going so well for the country’s best team of recent seasons.

“IMPLOSION!” screamed L’Équipe on Sunday morning after Paris St-Germain suffered their fourth defeat of the season, 1-2 away to Guingamp, leaving them seven points off leaders Nice. “It’s official – the Parisians are in crisis,” said 20minutes with PSG now having made their worst start to a season since being bought by their Qatari owners in 2011, and the inquest has now begun in earnest.

“This PSG is truly ill,” said France Football. “No will, no determination, no ability.” “Is this the worst PSG since the takeover?” asked LeProgrès. “This humiliation is a succession of bad decisions and individual and collective errors,” raged Le Parisien, who rated Angel di Maria’s performance a pitiful 2/10 and who called the signings of Hatem Ben Arfa and Jésé “a complete fiasco.” “Something has to change!” they demanded, as 74% of Parisian readers said that manager Unai Emery should be sacked. According to Téléfoot, they may get their wish. The broadcaster believes that director of football Patrick Kluivert is already sounding out former Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal as a replacement.

Second placed Monaco’s free-scoring, eight-game unbeaten run in Ligue 1 came to an end as they lost 3-1 at home to a resurgent Lyon inspired by Mathieu Valbuena, who has now scored in four consecutive league games. “Lyon’s great coup,” headlined L’Équipe, “If you had asked whether Lyon are title challengers a few months ago, everyone would have laughed. But no-one’s laughing anymore!” The results mean that Nice are officially “autumn champions” after beating Dijon 2-1, Mario Balotelli scoring on his return from injury.

In Germany, RB Leipzig temporarily went back on top of the Bundesliga on Saturday night after an impressive 2-0 win over Hertha Berlin. “RB have re-invented themselves” said Süddeutsche Zeitung after the Red Bull-backed club bounced back from last week’s shock 1-0 defeat to Ingolstadt. “73% possession! The newly-promoted club flatten third-placed Hertha with Guardiola football!” The Leipziger Volkszeitung added “RB demonstrate impressive strength” whilst the Berliner Morgenpost lamented: “Hertha had no chance.”

In the away end in the Red Bull Arena, the ubiquitous anti-RB protests continued. “You’ll never get our recognition – in Leipzig only Lok and Chemie,” read one Hertha banner but Sportbild highlighted a more unsavoury message on a second banner reading: “Ralf, we can’t wait for your next burnout” – a reference to RB sporting director Ralf Rangnick’s illness during his time at Schalke.

Bayern Munich returned to the top of the table on Sunday after a scrappy 1-0 victory away at bottom-of-the-table Darmstadt. “Not for the first time this season, Bayern’s performance was pale and weak,” concluded Munich’s Tageszeitung, after a 71st minute wonder-strike from Douglas Costa rescued all three points. The champions welcome challengers RB Leipzig to the Allianz Arena for the showdown of the season thus far on Wednesday evening. “RB are in Bayern-beating form!” said BILD. “Bayern are going to have to improve!” implored Tageszeitung.

Neither Hoffenheim nor Borussia Dortmund were able to make up much ground on the leaders as the two sides fought out an intense 2-2 draw on Friday evening. “The footballing highlight of the season!” enthused Spiegel, “A fiery floodlit encounter!” said the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung, as goals from Mario Götze and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang twice dragged injury-hit Dortmund level after Marco Reus saw red. For Dortmund-based Revier Sport, Ousmane Dembélé was the star of the show, setting up both goals. But the French youngster was substituted in the second half, adding to Thomas Tuchel’s injury woes.

Welt called Hoffenheim “unbeatable” as Julian Nagelsmann’s side remained the only team in Europe’s top divisions, along with Real Madrid, to remain unbeaten.