EUROPEAN PAPER REVIEW: Keylor Navas is Real’s saviour, what’s going on at Barcelona, and Bayern set themselves apart

A look at what the European newspapers are reporting following a weekend when Barcelona faltered, Real were denied in the Madrid derby and Bayern Munich destroyed Borussia Dortmund.

“Pure Liga” reads the headline of Monday’s Marca in Spain, complete with a picture of Keylor Navas punching the air in celebration after saving Antoine Griezmann’s penalty in the Madrid derby. The hugely popular Navas – and his popularity was a major factor in Madrid not pushing for David de Gea on transfer deadline day - did concede one goal, an 83rd minute equaliser as none of Spain’s top six teams won. Villarreal remain top while Barça’s second successive away defeat, this time at Sevilla, leaves them fourth but only a point off the lead. It’s tight at the top in Spain.

Marca also had a feature on Barça’s insinuations that a “black hand” of “external enemies” is working against them. Sergio Busquets said, with the clarity of a foggy day: “Maybe some people want the other team to win” after their defeat. With a far from impartial Madrileno eye, Marca surveys Barca’s referees, penalties, sanctions, press treatment, disciplinary treatment and run of tough away games at the start of the season. They also point out that the Catalans have received fewer cards than any other club.

Perhaps Spain’s Barça and Madrid players can talk about it during the international break. They can also think about Xavi returning to Spain as coach, with Sport quoting an interview the midfielder gave in his current home Qatar where he said: “Of course I’d like to return to Barça one day. That’s my aim and the closer it is to the pitch, the better.”

In Germany, Kicker scream “Berliner Einheit!” – Berlin united! - as Hertha BSC strolled to a 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Der Tag der Deutschen Einheit – the day of German unity, 25 years since reunification. “Spring has come in autumn”, said the Süddeutsche Zeitung, as the Berliners climbed to fourth in the league, temporarily at least, on a sunny day in the capital.

Further south on Sunday, however, Germany was proven to be much less united – at least in football terms. “Less Klassiker, more classic Munich - a day after Germany celebrated 25 years of unity, the Bundesliga had to admit it is a league divided”, observed an articulate Deutsche Welle, as Bayern Munich showed themselves to be “konkurrenzlos” – peerless – (Kicker), hammering a valiant Borussia Dortmund 5-1. “Bayern set themselves apart”, said Die Zeit, echoing an increasingly common belief in Germany that the Bavarians simply don’t belong in the Bundesliga.

To coincide with the reunification commemorations, Die Welt ran an interview this week with Ede Geyer, the last East German national coach who oversaw the former GDR’s 293rd and final game – a 2-0 win over Belgium. “It was like a slave market,” Geyer recalled, referring to the West German agents who swarmed around the East German players in Brussels in the knowledge that they could now sign professional contracts with Bundesliga sides.

“Wolfsburg and Gladbach lose to Manchester” bemoaned Die Zeit in midweek after both German sides lost 2-1 to their respective Mancunian opponents before the two clubs met this weekend, Mönchengladbach running out 2-0 winners. “From serial losers to serial winners”, enthused Sportschau after the Foals third league win on the bounce since the departure of Lucien Favre. “What do we need a new manager for?” midfielder Granit Xhaka asked Tagesspiegel.

Following Brendan Rodgers’ dismissal as Liverpool manager after his team’s 1-1 draw away at Everton on Sunday, SPORTBILD led the rumours in the German press that Jürgen Klopp would be the man to succeed the Northern Irishman. Quoting Bosnian outlet Pravdabl, the paper reported that Zelijko Buvac, a close associate of Klopp, was moving to Merseyside, suggesting that the ex-BVB manager would follow. The paper also referred to a tweet by former Norwegian international Jan-Aage Fjörtoft who claimed a “German source” had informed him that Klopp would indeed be taking over at Anfield.

The headlines in France all focused on PSG’s 2-1 win over Marseille on Sunday evening. “A story of penalties for Paris”, said L'Équipe as Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted twice from the spot, whilst Abdelaziz Barrada missed his chance to draw the visitors level after the break. “Paris maintain their grip”, said Le Parisien as their side won their 8th Classique in a row, but it wasn’t a walk in the Parc, as the champions were “troubled” (Le Monde) by a determined Marseille. Ibrahimovic’s two goals also made him the highest scorer in the club’s history, as L'Express pointed out, proclaiming “Paris still kings of the clasico, Ibra legendary”.

Elsewhere, St Etienne’s hapless run continued as they followed up their 4-1 collapse at home to Nice last week with a 1-0 defeat away at Caen. “St Etienne have little in common with the side that had promised so much at the start of the season”, condemned L'Équipe. Nice, meanwhile, had their match with Nantes abandoned following heavy rain at half time. “A deluge of goals” said Nice Matin, as the tie was abandoned in the 46th minute with the score already at 2-2. The match will be replayed in its entirety and the goals written off.

In Italy, Fiorentina stay top with the front page of Monday’s Gazzetta dello Sport stating “Napoli demolish Milan, La Viola (Fiorentina) alone at the top after 16 years. The Florence side increased their lead beating Atalanta 3-0, while Inter only drew at Sampdoria. Along with Villarreal and Oostende in Belgium, they’re the surprise leaders in Europe. With Bayern Munich, Porto, PSG, Manchester City, Ajax, Olympiakos and CSKA all top of their leagues, everything else is almost as expected.